Prison medical ward shut down

Prison medical ward shut down
The Bahamas Department of Correctional Services. (FILE PHOTO)

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — The medical wing at the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services (BDOC) has been closed due to a potential risk of exposure to COVID-19.

Sources close to the matter confirmed to Eyewitness News that several prison personnel have been asked to get tested for the virus, and the area is currently being sanitized.

When contacted, BDOC Commissioner Charles Murphy declined comment on the matter at this time.

In an update last week Wednesday, Murphy told Eyewitness News the prison remained COVID-free since the initial outbreak in mid-March, despite an influx of new inmates throughout the pandemic.

Forty-eight inmates were recently pardoned as the prison continues to explore measures to mitigate the potential spread of the coronavirus in the institution.

The former inmates were nearing the end of their sentences, according to Murphy.

About Ava Turnquest

Ava Turnquest is the head of the Digital Department at Eyewitness News. Her most notable beat coverage spans but is not limited to politics, immigration and human rights, with a focus especially on minority groups. In 2018, she was nominated by the Bahamas Press Club for “The Eric Wilmott Award for Investigative Journalism”. Ava is deeply motivated by her passion about the role of fourth estate, and uses her pen to inform, educate and sensitize the public.