GEORGE NEWS - An official at George prison has tested positive for Covid-19. According to reliable sources at the prison, the official was tested over the weekend and the result was received yesterday, Sunday 24 May.
Several officials have since been tested and they are in self quarantine while waiting for their results.
According to reliable sources, officials from other centres in the region will assist the George prison with extra personnel while George officials self quarantine. The centre was decontaminated in line with applicable health protocol.
A spokesperson for the Department of Correctional Services (DCS), Singabakho Nxumalo, said they do not comment on individual cases.
“The extreme levels of stigmatisation of officials by members of the community and public at large has necessitated that we only disclose the provinces where cases are reported,” said Nxumalo.
“The situation is bad and totally abhorrent. Disclosing their identities and where they reside can only worsen the situation. It is not helping at all. We have been pleading with the media to stop disclosing identities of officials infected due to this stigmatisation.”
George Herald did not enquire about the identity or the address of any official who had tested positive. We requested confirmation of the fact that an official at the centre had tested positive and asked if tracing of other people the official had been in contact with, has commenced.
The Western Cape regional commissioner, Delekile Klaas, this evening said they follow all the necessary protocols on Covid 19 and beyond, when cases are reported at correctional facilities.
“I appeal for cool heads within the centre and the general population in George. Rest assured that the department will take all necessary and reasonable steps to protect its officials, offenders and members of the public.”
He also pleaded with members of the public to stop discriminating against and stigmatising members of DCS, health care professionals, the police and all those in the front line in the fight against Covid-19. “We need your support, not stigmatisation,” said Klaas.
According to statistics on the website of the National Department of Correctional Services, 246 officials and 473 inmates countrywide have tested positive for the coronavirus to date.
In the Western Cape, 155 officials and 51 inmates have tested positive. Of these, 59 have recovered and two deaths have been recorded. The case in George is the first in the Southern Cape.
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