Helderstroom prison under lockdown after 87 inmates test positive for COVID-19

The Helderstroom Correctional Facility in Caledon in the Overberg has been placed under lockdown after 87 inmates tested positive for COVID-19.

The Correctional Services Department says inmates are still being kept at the facility but no visitors are allowed.

Spokesperson, Singabakho Nxumalo, says five officials at the facility have also tested positive for the virus. He says they’re trying to contain the outbreak.

“Critical at this stage is the activation of treatment and containment measures in order to prevent other officials and inmates from being exposed to the virus whilst the process of tracing and tracking the index cases is underway correctional services has isolated all the positive cases and quarantined the presumptive ones.”

Trade union, Popcru, has called on the Correctional Services Ministry to intervene. The union says other facilities are experiencing similar problems.

Meanwhile, active coronavirus infections in the Western Cape have remained stable at just over 37 000 over the past two days.

Premier Alan Winde says the province currently has 37 288 cases of the virus with 7 806 deaths. He says 3090 patients are being treated in hospital with 356 in ICU.

There’ve been just of 180 000 recoveries.