Covid-19: 103 prisoners died from August 2020 to October 2021

KUALA LUMPUR: A total of 103 prisoners have died due to Covid-19 complications from August 29, 2020 to Oct 12 this year, says Deputy Home Minister Datuk Jonathan Yasin (BN-Ranau)

He added 46,550 prisoners contracted Covid-19 during the same period and 45,848 prisoners have recovered. There are now 599 active cases.

“Records show 103 prisoners died during the same period and those confirmed positive on Oct 13 has dropped to 60 people,” he said

“Up till now, a total of 187,822 prisoners have been screened for Covid-19,” he said during Question Time in the Dewan Rakyat on Monday (Nov 1).

He was responding to Gobind Singh Deo (PH-Puchong), who asked on the amount of Covid-19 cases as well as vaccination rates in prisons.

Jonathan said that 31,691 prisoners have received one dose of a vaccine while 11,140 prisoners have been fully vaccinated.

He added that 17,181 prisoners have received a single-dose Covid-19 vaccine.

“The Home Ministry through the Prisons Department has taken a proactive step by implementing Covid-19 vaccinations for inmates.”

Jonathan also said that the vaccination programme involving prisoners has been successful, given the high number of inmates who were fully inoculated against Covid-19.

“This programme will be continued and improved from time to time under the National Covid-19 Vaccination Program, together with the Health Ministry and the Covid-19 Immunisation Task Force,” he added.