Chicken Pox outbreak at Lusignan Prison under control says Guyana Prison Service

The Lusignan Prison in Guyana has been under the yoke of a chicken pox outbreak, which had become a matter of concern for the Guyana Prison Service but is said to have been brought under control now.

According to the Guyana Prison Service, the most recent round of testing suggests that no new cases have come up, which is being seen as a positive sign. The outbreak is said to have resulted in 25 cases of infection, out of which only 7 have recovered.

The Officer-in-Charge at the Lusignan Prison, Deoraj Gyandat, explained that the Ministry of Health (MoH) has provided the prison with a team which is screening all current and new inmates, as well as continuing surveillance to ensure that the problem is resolved in a definitive manner.

According to Gyandat, provisions have been made to isolate any individual who is infected with immediate effect, so as to contain the disease.

The Guyana Prison Service issued the following statement on the matter, “There is also a robust education, and hygiene campaign being conducted by the Prison Administration in collaboration with the MOH on how to prevent contracting the virus and identifying the symptoms.”

“To combat the spread of the virus, the Prison Administration also continue with its comprehensive preventative measures. These include the administration of medication such as Acyclovir and calamine lotion, increased sanitation frequency, sunning out of mattresses and clothing, sterilisation of eating utensils and personal items, vaccination protocols, and daily medical assessments.”

The Guyana Prison Service is also working in conjunction with the Ministry of Health to run a chicken pox vaccination drive, which is expected to have a significant impact on the disease’s ability to spread further.

Nicklon Elliot, the Director of Prisons, gave the assurance that the vaccination drive will continue for the next few days and the authorities will ensure that the inmates being held, the new admissions and the prison guards are all vaccinated and protected from the ill-effects of the viral infection.