Three inmates in the country's largest prison have tested positive for Covid-19, the Irish Prison Service has confirmed.
The three positive cases in the Midlands Prison in Portlaoise have been quarantined and will be monitored by healthcare staff.
Following confirmation of the positive cases, the decision has been made to test all 819 inmates in the prison for the virus.
In a statement, the Irish Prison Service said: “The prisoners who have tested positive have been quarantined and our healthcare staff will continue to actively surveillance and temperature check to identify any further symptoms.
“The Service is continuing to work closely with HSE public health officials in contact tracing and Covid swabbing is ongoing.”
The Midlands Prison outbreak control team is continuing to engage with prison management to oversee actions to mitigate against further possible spread of the virus within the prison, the statement added.
Mass testing
The Irish Prison Service is working with the HSE regarding arrangements for mass testing of all other prisoners.
It emerged last week that 11 staff in the jail had contracted the virus since the end of last month.
Separately, the Irish Prison Service also confirmed that as of Wednesday, there are no prisoners positive for Covid-19 in Mountjoy Prison.
The prison’s outbreak control team has been stood down “as it is satisfied with the low number of positive staff cases and the situation can be managed through normal infection control measures”.
