Inmates in Peru's Largest Prison Help Authorities Identify O
Posted: Thu Aug 20, 2020 12:24 am
Inmates wearing white protective suits, and security agents, transport an inmate to a clinic at the Lurigancho prison on the outskirts of Lima, Peru, Aug. 19, 2020.
Some inmates in Peru's most populated prison are now acting as health care monitors, alerting doctors to possible new coronavirus infections.
Just four month ago, inmates at the Lurigancho prison were demanding improvements for protection against the coronavirus when the protest ended with nine people dead and dozens more wounded.
Rafael Castillo, vice president of the National Penitentiary Council said, the intent is to create an epidemiological containment ring within the prison facility. He says this would prevent thousands of inmates from overcrowding hospitals outside the prison.
Prior to the inmates' demand for sanitary improvements, some 2,500 prisoners had become infected with the coronavirus and 33 others died of the disease.
Nationwide Peru has the third-highest coronavirus totals in Latin America behind Brazil and Mexico, with more than 500,000 coronavirus infections and more than 26,000 deaths.