The Matara prison has seen a rise in the number of inmates falling ill, with eight more being hospitalized last night, according to Commissioner of Prisons and Media Spokesman Gamini B. Dissanayake. This brings the total number of inmates receiving treatment at the Matara Hospital to 16, with one inmate having already passed away after being admitted to the hospital on Saturday. Two of the hospitalized inmates are currently in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the Matara Hospital. The initial hospitalization of inmates occurred on Friday, when eight were admitted due to high fever. In response, precautionary measures have been implemented within the prison to prevent the potential spread of the virus. Additionally, all new inmates destined for Matara Prison will now be redirected to Angunakolapelessa Prison as a preventive measure. The permission granted for visiting inmates at Matara Prison will also be limited, despite December 24 and 25 being designated as special visiting days. The health authorities of the Department of Prisons are taking special care in the process of releasing prisoners in light of Christmas Day. It has been reported that several other inmates with fever are still present in the Matara prison, and steps will be taken to hospitalize them today.
