Vavuniya prison isolated

By Situm Chaturanga and 
Romesh Madusanka   
Vavuniya Remand Prison has been closed for two weeks due to a contagious disease spreading among the detainees. Spokesman for the Prisons Department Chandana Ekanayake said four detainees and a Prison Guard had developed complications identified as measles. He said the temporary closure of the prisons was a precaution against the imminent spread of the disease.  
“Visitors of detainees had been restricted since July 25, on the instructions of the health authorities and step was taken to close the prison in view of the impending danger of possible spread of the disease. At present Vavuniya prison has 400 detainees and a staff of 85 officers. Producing detainees in court was suspended and their evidence is to be recorded through Zoom technology while other cases would be postponed. Suspects remanded by Mannar and Vavuniya courts would be referred to Anuradhapura and Jaffna prisons,” said the spokesman.   He further said that the prison would reopen on August 08 if the situation returned to normal.