3 prisons staff test positive for Covid-19 – Nairobi News

Three Kenya Prison officers based at the Naivasha Maximum Prison have tested positive for coronavirus.

The three become the first prison officers to be infected with the virus that has now infected more than 12,000 people in Kenya.

The officers, all men, were last week put in quarantine and received their positive results on Monday.

Cases are expected to rise as more people who came into contact with the officers are expected to be tested.

According to sources within the prison, there is panic at the staff quarter as two of the officers who tested positive have been isolated in their houses.

The third officer decided to self-isolate at his home outside the prison facility.

Covid-19 cases have been reported at Nairobi Remand and Allocation Prison and Manyani Maximum Security Prison in Voi but all were inmates.

At Nairobi Remand and Allocation Prison, 31 inmates tested positive while Manyani Maximum Security Prison in Voi  one inmate who was transferred from Shimo la Tewa Prison, tested positive.

Since the first Covid-19 case was reported in the country in March, movement in and out of prison premises across the country was limited.

This according to the Government was meant to reduce the risk of infection in the prison where thousands of prisoners are.

However, since President Uhuru Kenyatta relaxed movement restrictions, people have been allowed free movement in and out of the prison premises.

Many officers have also been allowed to take a short leave from work and many have used the opportunity to travel.