MCO won't stop prison outbreak, expert says solve overcrowding

 

Infectious diseases expert Dr Adeeba Kamarulzaman cautioned today that enforcing movement restrictions will not be enough to contain Covid-19 outbreaks within prisons and the communities surrounding them.

Instead, she insisted that the government must tackle the issue of overcrowding in prisons.

"MCO alone is not going to be enough when dealing with COVID-19 & prisons," she tweeted in response to the latest administratively enforced targeted enhanced movement control order (MCO) at the Alor Setar Prison in Kedah.

"Reduce the overall population by looking at alternatives to incarceration and consider decarceration. Overcrowding is the issue," said the Universiti Malaya Dean of Medicine.

Similarly, Senator Liew Chin Tong also reiterated calls for the government to reduce the number of inmates in prison, citing a figure of 73,000 detainees versus a maximum capacity of 52,000.

"Actions including to consider community service or conditional release for minor offenders should be implemented to reduce risk of Covid-19 infections in prison," said the former deputy defence minister in a statement.

He also urged the government to reconsider prison sentences for drug offenders, particularly users who can be treated at rehabilitation centres.

Defence Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob earlier today announced a 14-day targeted enhanced MCO at Alor Setar Prison and its staff quarters from midnight on Oct 6.

All movements in and out of the prison will not be allowed during the period, including visits by families of inmates.

This came after the Health Ministry's confirmation of an increase in Covid-19 positive cases in the prison with 317 cases in the Tembok cluster as of yesterday.

Earlier last month, detection of the Sabah Benteng Lahad Datu cluster at the Lahad Datu district police station lock-up had also marked a sharp spike in new infections, including an outbreak in the Tawau prison.

Putrajaya has since announced a two-week administratively-enforced targeted enhanced MCO to be imposed in Lahad Datu, Tawau, Kunak, and Semporna until Oct 12, involving 962,661 residents.

Earlier this year, the Prisons Department had told the courts to stop jailing people for violating the MCO, warning that the move is causing overcrowding in prisons where social distancing is "impossible".

Since the start of the pandemic, spikes in new infections linked to overcrowded conditions were also detected in immigration detention centres, as well as cramped housing. - Mkini