GEORGE TOWN: The Penang Remand Prison underwent sanitisation and other stringent precautionary measures following the death of an elderly inmate there who was later found positive of Covid-19.
A number of people, believed to be prison department officers dressed in personal protective equipment (PPE) gowns, were seen inside the prison, with two clad in PPE standing guard inside to open the doors and also allow vehicles in and out of the building.
Earlier in the day, wardens and policemen were seen walking in and out of the prison.
George Town OCPD Asst Comm Soffian Santong confirmed that the 85-year-old male prisoner, who died on Monday, had tested positive for Covid-19 after his death.
“A prison warden found him unconscious in his cell at around 7am on Monday and he was taken to the Penang Hospital’s emergency department.
“He was declared dead at 7.50am and sent to the Penang Hospital’s forensic department.
“He had a history of being treated for tuberculosis and HIV at the Penang Hospital.
“After his death, he was tested for Covid-19 and was found positive at around 2pm on Monday at the Penang Hospital,” he said in a statement yesterday.
ACP Soffian said the man, who was from Ayer Itam, was jailed for murder.
The body was surrendered to the Penang Hospital following standard operating procedure, he said, adding that the state Health Department has been informed of the Covid-19 positive case.
The Penang Remand Prison is the third prison to be hit with the coronavirus after two prisons, in Tawau and Alor Setar, were affected.On Monday, the Alor Setar Prison was placed under targeted enhanced movement control order (MCO) for 14 days following a rise in Covid-19 infections there.
The targeted enhanced MCO imposed on Tawau Prison from Sept 11 to 25 was extended from Sept 26 to Oct 9, due to the double-digit cases it recorded.
A number of people, believed to be prison department officers dressed in personal protective equipment (PPE) gowns, were seen inside the prison, with two clad in PPE standing guard inside to open the doors and also allow vehicles in and out of the building.
Earlier in the day, wardens and policemen were seen walking in and out of the prison.
George Town OCPD Asst Comm Soffian Santong confirmed that the 85-year-old male prisoner, who died on Monday, had tested positive for Covid-19 after his death.
“A prison warden found him unconscious in his cell at around 7am on Monday and he was taken to the Penang Hospital’s emergency department.
“He was declared dead at 7.50am and sent to the Penang Hospital’s forensic department.
“He had a history of being treated for tuberculosis and HIV at the Penang Hospital.
“After his death, he was tested for Covid-19 and was found positive at around 2pm on Monday at the Penang Hospital,” he said in a statement yesterday.
ACP Soffian said the man, who was from Ayer Itam, was jailed for murder.
The body was surrendered to the Penang Hospital following standard operating procedure, he said, adding that the state Health Department has been informed of the Covid-19 positive case.
The Penang Remand Prison is the third prison to be hit with the coronavirus after two prisons, in Tawau and Alor Setar, were affected.On Monday, the Alor Setar Prison was placed under targeted enhanced movement control order (MCO) for 14 days following a rise in Covid-19 infections there.
The targeted enhanced MCO imposed on Tawau Prison from Sept 11 to 25 was extended from Sept 26 to Oct 9, due to the double-digit cases it recorded.
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