MANILA, Philippines — Since the start of the virus outbreak in the country, over 1,000 prisoners in different jails have contracted the new coronavirus disease or COVID-19 while 1,500 others have been released, the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) revealed Thursday.
Jail Director Allan Iral said during a budget hearing in the House of Representatives on Thursday that a total of 1,115 persons have been infected with SARS-CoV-2 and that 918 of whom have already recovered while 15 have died. SARS-CoV-2 is the new coronavirus that causes serious respiratory illness COVID-19.
Iral also said that 175 PDLs are currently considered COVID-19 active cases.
Prisoners who contract COVID-19 are brought to COVID-19 facilities and that BJMP has gradually released a total of 1,501 vulnerable prisoners since March to prevent the transmission of the virus among PDLs, according to Iral.
Iral said that of the 1,501 released vulnerable prisoners, 560 are elderly, 909 have illnesses, and 32 were pregnant women.
At present, jails in the country have an average congestion rate of 335%, Iral said, adding that this is seen to go down to 114% next year once the ongoing jail constructions are finished.
In jails nationwide, the BJMP chief said there are 14 doctors and 1,092 nurses to look after prisoners.
“Sila po ang ginagamit namin ngayon para maibsan ‘yung paglaganap ng COVID-19 sa jail facilities natin,” Iral told legislators during the House committee on appropriations’ online hearing on the proposed budget of the Department of the Interior and Local Government on Thursday.