By Nakinskie Robinson
A mystery illness has reportedly broken out in Jamaica's adult correctional facilities, with a number of inmates in four of these facilities falling sick, while one death being investigated to determine if it is linked to this outbreak.
On Tuesday Radio Jamaica News received information about an apparent outbreak of illness at the Tower Street and St. Catherine correctional centres.
But it has since been confirmed that prisoners at the Horizon Adult Remand Centre and Tamarind Farm Correctional Centre are also affected.
Radio Jamaica News was informed that prisoners having been exhibiting symptoms for sometime.
Late Tuesday, the Department of Correctional Services (DCS) confirmed, that there has been an increase in the number of inmates experiencing flu like symptoms, primarily at the St Catherine Adult Correctional Centre.
It's understood that prisoners have also been suffering from gastrointestinal symptoms.
The DCS told Radio Jamaica News that interim measures were immediately taken to isolate affected inmates, while restricting movement and mandating the wearing of masks.
A medical team is conducting tests to inform a diagnosis.
A Radio Jamaica News source says roughly seven inmates at the St. Catherine adult prison collapsed on Monday after exhibiting, flu-like symptoms, vomiting, frothing at the mouth and diarrhea.
The source says the majority of the near 1,000 prison population had been infected by the mystery illness.
Additionally, our source says the inmate who died on Tuesday attempted to alert prison wardens after feeling unwell, in the early hours, but received no attention.
It's understood that sometime after 6 Tuesday morning, the authorities found the inmate in an unconscious state and rushed him to hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
But the DCS says the cause of death is subject to a post-mortem, therefore no connection can be made at this time with the increase in inmates displaying flu-like symptoms.
The DCS says it continues to be guided by all the appropriate medical protocols to safeguard and manage the care of staff and inmates at its facilities.
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