COVID-19: Prison In DRC Sees A Spike In Coronavirus Cases

A military prison in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo, has reportedly seen a spike in the number coronavirus cases, this is according to the country's health authorities.

A communiqué released by the government of the country stated that, “Fifty-six (additional) people in Ndolo military prison were confirmed with COVID-19."

The jail, situated in the north of Kinshasa, was originally built for 500 inmates, as constructed by the Belgians, but today, the prison admits between 1,900 and 2,000 inmates.

A warning issued by the Human Rights Watch states, “The overcrowded and insalubrious prisons in the DRC present a serious risk."

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The government of Congo said that the largest prison in the country at Malaka, accommodating not less than 8,400 inmates has reported no single case.

Congo recorded its first case on March 10, and has seen an increase since then, currently, the country has a total number of, at the time of writing this report, 682 coronavirus cases, with 34 fatalities.