Concern grows over COVID-19 cases in Sri Lanka prisons

COLOMBO: Authorities in Sri Lanka say about 400 inmates and officers in the country’s highly congested prisons have tested positive for the coronavirus as infections spike in Colombo and its suburbs, according to The Associated Press.

Twelve of those who tested positive are officers, while the rest are inmates.

The cases were detected at five prisons in different parts of the country.

Sri Lankan prisons are filled with more than 26,000 inmates in facilities meant to hold 10,000.

Sri lanka has seen a fresh outbreak of the virus since last month when two clusters — one centered at a garment factory and another at a fish market — emerged in Colombo, and its suburbs.

The confirmed cases from the two clusters have risen past 13,000.

Sri Lanka has confirmed more than 17,200 cases.