Singapore — The Singapore Prison Service (SPS) issued an update on the Covid-19 situation at Changi Prison Complex through a statement on its website on Thursday (Nov 11), after having said earlier this week that despite a high vaccination rate, several inmates had caught Covid-19 and more cases were ‘likely’ to emerge.
SPS said that 169 inmates, 54 supervisees and 9 SPS staff are currently positive for Covid-19 and are in different stages of recovery.
It added that no staff or inmates are currently hospitalised for the infection, but three supervisees have been warded in the hospital because they are symptomatic.
SPS further explained that the 169 infected inmates are composed of new admissions who caught Covid before entering the prisons, those who reported sick with ARI symptoms in the prisons, as well as 116 inmates from Institution A1 who tested positive from Nov 6 to 10.
Among the latter group are prisoners on death row.
Institution A1 has been temporarily placed on lockdown, and testing has been stepped up for everyone who enters the prisons.
Additionally, face-to-face visits for prisoners on death row have been temporarily suspended, “to minimise movements in the prison and lower the risk of virus transmission,” SPS added.
Instead, these inmates will be receiving phone calls.
“SPS will reinstate the face-to-face visits when the situation has stabilised. In addition, SPS has temporarily suspended all counselling sessions, and will arrange for virtual counselling sessions when the situation has stabilised,” the statement said.
SPS first gave an update on the Covid situation at Changi Prison Complex on Tuesday (Nov 9) after a high-profile inmate, convicted Malaysian drug trafficker Nagaenthran Dharmalingam, was found to be positive for Covid on Nov 9, on the day when he had been scheduled for a court hearing.
Nagaenthran had been scheduled to hang the following day (Nov 10). His case has received much attention both locally and internationally, with appeals to pardon him because he is said to be mentally challenged.
The SPS said on Tuesday that Nagaenthran had been given both an antigen rapid test (ART) and a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test on the previous day.
The ART came back negative, and Nagaenthran was then taken to court for a hearing. But the PCR test then came back positive SPS informed the court and the inmate was placed in isolation.
The SPS said that he is asymptomatic, showed no sign of illness before the hearing, and had chosen not to be vaccinated.
“In view of the situation, the Court of Appeal granted a stay of the judicial execution with immediate effect until all pending proceedings are concluded. Nagaenthran will receive medical attention and proceedings will resume on a date to be fixed, after Nagaenthran has recovered,” SPS added. /TISG