Covid outbreak at Cloverhill Prison leads to restrictions

THE Irish Prison Service is currently managing two active outbreaks of Covid-19 in Wheatfield and Mountjoy prisons.

Two prisoners in Mountjoy Prison have tested positive for Covid-19.

The service is working closely with the HSE and contact tracing is continuing. The positive staff and prisoner cases in Mountjoy are confined to the C & D landings.

These outbreaks follow a recent outbreak at Cloverhill Prison where 16 prisoners tested positive for Covid-19.

The service is working closely with Public Health, HSE with regard to the management of the current outbreaks including the testing arrangements of staff and prisoners if required.

Mountjoy and Wheatfield Outbreak Control Teams and Prison management have implemented additional infection control measures to prevent the spread of Covid-19 to the wider prison population.

Physical visits may be suspended and replaced with, where possible, a video visit and/or additional phone calls during an outbreak at Irish prisons.

Following staff results from the third round of testing, the Cloverhill Outbreak Control Team and Public Health have agreed to stand down the Cloverhill Outbreak.

Cloverhill Senior Management Team will oversee the appropriate actions to mitigate against any spread of the disease and return the prison to a normal regime.

The roll-out of the Covid-19 vaccination programme has witnessed approximately 85 per cent of the prison population vaccinated, allowing for a reduction in regime restrictions.