COVID-19 Spread in Arthur Road Jail: 81 More Inmates Test Positive, Toll Reaches 184 Including 26 Prison Staffers
"81 more inmates of Mumbai's Arthur Road prison have tested positive for #COVID19, taking the total number of positive cases in the prison to 184 of which 26 are staff members and rest are inmates," said a statement issued by the Arthur Road prison authority.
Mumbai, May 10: The wave of COVID-19 infections in Mumbai's Arthur Road Jail continues to grow as 81 more inmates were confirmed to have tested positive on Sunday. The toll of cases in the prison has climbed to 184, including 158 prison inmates and 26 staff members. The alarming number of cases have turned the Arthur Road Jail into one of the COVID-19 hotspots in the city. Mumbai: 54-Year-Old Inmate of Byculla Women Jail Tests Positive for COVID-19, Admitted to St George's Hospital for Treatment.
The increase in number of coronavirus infections comes a day after the Bombay High Court ordered the Maharashtra government to ensure the jail inmates are not left in a condition where they are vulnerable to contract the virus.
The court's injunction while hearing a plea filed by Ali Akbar Shroff, who sought bail on health grounds. His counsel told the bench that Shroff is suffering from hypertension and diabetes -- which may prove to be fatal if he ends up contracting the contagious disease.
Update by ANI
"81 more inmates of Mumbai's Arthur Road prison have tested positive for #COVID19, taking the total number of positive cases in the prison to 184 of which 26 are staff members and rest are inmates," said a statement issued by the Arthur Road prison authority.
The Jamiat-e-Ulema-e-Hind - a body of Islamic scholars - decided to move the Supreme Court to seek the release of all inmates who are eligible for bail. Maulana Arshad Madni, who heads the Jamiat, said the right to life of the inmates is being threatened due to the coronavirus outbreak in Arthur Road Jail.
Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh, while addressing the press on Friday, said it is suspected that vegetable suppliers acted as COVID-19 carriers to the highly guarded prison in Mumbai. "We kept all jails including Arthur Road Jail in complete lockdown. No one was allowed to go/enter from outside. But maybe through people who supply vegetables and milk acted as carriers of COVID-19," he said.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 10, 2020 08:06 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).