NAKHON RATCHASIMA: All six prisons in this northeastern province remain free of Covid-19, with all inmates having tested negative for the virus, governor Kobchai Boon-orana said on Tuesday.
He was speaking after a video-conference with the heads of the six prisons, from Nakhon Ratchasima Central Prison.
Mr Kobchai began duty as the new governor of the province only last week.
After the meeting, the governor said there were six prisons in the province - Nakhon Ratchasima Central Prison in Muang district, with 2,853 inmates; Khlong Phai Central Prison in Si Khiu district, with 4,871 inmates; Nakhon Ratchasima Women Correctional Institution in Si Khiu district, with 2,373 inmates; Si Khiu Prison in Si Khiu district, with 1,416 inmates; Bua Yai Prison in Bua Yai district, with 1,233 inmates; and Khao Prik Prison in Si Khiu district, with 5,427 inmates.
Mr Kobchai said active case finding at all six facilities had detected no Covid-19 infections.
He was not concerned about the virus spreading among the inmates as visits by outsiders had been suspended.
What worried him was that the virus could be brought in by prison officials. To prevent this happening, all prison officials were being tested for Covid-19 every 14 days. They and their families had been instructed to avoid going to risk areas.
New inmates, prisoners taken to hospital and those taken outside for court hearings were being quarantined for 14 days on entry.
Most prison officials had been vaccinated. The Corrections Department planned to inoculate all inmates, Mr Kobchai said.