Covid-19 outbreak in Mountjoy Prison

The largest Covid outbreak in the prison system has occurred after 19 prisoners in Mountjoy tested recently positive for the disease.

With testing within the prison is still ongoing this number is expected to rise.

A number of staff members have also been infected but the Irish Prison Service have not confirmed exactly how many.

In a statement The Irish Prison Service said: “A number of staff in Mountjoy Prison have tested positive for Covid-19 and contact tracing is on-going in this regard.

“The Irish Prison Service can confirm there are (19) positive cases amongst the prisoner population to date.

“The Service is working closely with Public Health and the CHO testing team in the HSE and contact tracing is ongoing.

“The positive staff cases are currently confined to specific areas within the prison. Following engagement with Public health, HSE the testing of all staff and prisoners for Mountjoy and Dochas Prisons is ongoing.”

The Irish Prison Service said the Mountjoy Prison Outbreak Control Team (OCT) continues to ‘oversee the appropriate actions to be taken to mitigate against further possible spread of the disease within the prisons.’

“The Irish Prison Service is working closely with Public Health, HSE with regard to the management of the current outbreak including making arrangements for the mass testing of staff and prisoners in the Mountjoy and Dochas Prisons,” they said.

“To help prevent the spread of infection a strict regime has been introduced which may impact on access to video visits and phone calls in the short terms for prisoners in precautionary isolation however we are working to ensure that we can continue to facilitate family contact as far as possible.”