The Namibian Correctional Service has temporarily suspended contact visiting at its Windhoek Correctional Facility with immediate effect due to an increase in the number of officers and inmates testing positive for COVID-19 at the facility.

A media statement issued on Saturday by Commissioner General Raphael Hamunyela, said the correctional service is duty bound to protect the inmate population from the further spread of COVID-19, thus a drastic decision was made to suspend contact visits until further notice.

He said that as of Friday, 17 December 2021, nine correctional officers and nine inmates at the Windhoek Correctional Facility have tested positive for COVID-19. This brings the total number of active cases among correctional officers at 35 and 11 active cases among inmates.

Since the pandemic outbreak, a total of 1 904 officers have been tested against COVID-19, of which 645 tested positive and 603 have recovered. Ten deaths have been recorded among officers.

Meanwhile, 379 have received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccination while 234 are fully vaccinated and 88 received the Johnson and Johnson vaccine.

Hamunyela added that 3 989 inmates have been tested of whom 1 111 tested positive and 1 096 recovered. A total of 1 917 inmates have received one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and 1 480 received the second dose of whom 472 received the Johnson and Johnson vaccine. Four inmates have lost their lives due to COVID-19 related complications.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency