Ludhiana jail inmate tests negative for coronavirus

Dr Ravi Dutt, Senior Medical Officer (SMO), Civil Hospital, Ludhiana, said that as per reports received from Government Medical College and Hospital, Patiala, the jail inmate has tested negative. “He has been found negative for Covid-19. We had kept him in isolation ward as a precautionary measure because of his travel history. He wasn’t showing any symptoms though,” said the SMO.

The inmate was taken to isolation ward of the Civil Hospital on Tuesday after doctors advised so. He was arrested from Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport on his return from the US and brought to Ludhiana Central Jail on February 29. He was arrested by Nawanshahr police after being declared a proclaimed offender in a clash case.

“We had already kept him in separate cell for two weeks knowing he had returned from the US. He had gone there eleven months back through an agent illegally and was deported,” said Jail Superintendent Arora.

He added that Ludhiana jail has capacity of 3,200 inmates and currently it is full to its capacity. Also, foreign inmates include 18 Nigerians booked in the NDPS cases but none of them are new entrants.