The Supreme Court on Monday took suo motu cognisance of the risk of COVID-19 infection spreading within and from overcrowded prisons across the country. “The Director General of Prisons, Kerala, has set up isolation cells within prisons across Kerala. Those suffering with COVID-19 symptoms such as cold and fever are being moved to these isolation cells. Isolation ward in TiharThe apex court noted that similarly an isolation ward has been set up in the Tihar Jail in Delhi and all the 17,500 inmates were checked for COVID-19. Studies establish that prison inmates are highly prone to contagious viruses.

Source: The Hindu March 16, 2020 11:06 UTC