Red Cross Concerned About Risk Of COVID-19 Spreading In Bangladeshi Prisons

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is working with over 60 Bangladeshi prisons to prevent the coronavirus from spreading through their population, the public relations adviser for the ICRC Asia-Pacific told Sputnik

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 19th May, 2020) The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is working with over 60 Bangladeshi prisons to prevent the coronavirus from spreading through their population, the public relations adviser for the ICRC Asia-Pacific told Sputnik.

Bangladesh, the most densely populated country in the world, reported the first COVID-19 case in its prisons on April 21 as a guard at Dhaka Central Jail tested positive. In early May, media reported that at least 19 guards had tested positive for the virus in the central jail. The country has since decided to release over 2,800 inmates from jails across the country to prevent the virus from spreading.

"One of the main issues of concern for the ICRC is the situation in the country prisons ...

Detention facilities pose an extra challenge when it comes to preventing and containing infectious diseases, including COVID-19. We are working to enhance the preparedness of the 68 prisons across the country in the face of a possible outbreak together with the Prison Directorate and the Ministry of Home Affairs," Pawel Krzysiek said.

As part of a wider response, the ICRC also distributed guidelines on how to manage the bodies of deceased persons with COVID-19 and donated 675 body bags to Al-Markazul Islami Hospital in Dhaka, the Quantum Foundation and the Buddhist Religious Welfare Trust, the official added.

With a population of 161 million, Bangladesh updated its COVID-19 tally by 1,251 cases to 25,121 as of Tuesday. Meanwhile, the death toll has risen by 21 to 370.