Karam Prakash
Patiala, November 2
During the ongoing state-wide screening, as many as 3,682 jail inmates have already been found to be infected with hepatitis-C.
The Health Department has to find out the potential reasons of the spread of the viral disease — commonly known as "kala pilia" — which damages liver.
Experts are of view that it can be possibly a result of intravenous drug abuse on the jail premises.
On average, 27 per cent of jail inmates in the state have been found to be infected with hepatitis-C.
The positivity rate at Sub Jail in Patti, Tarn Taran, a border district, is as high as 67 per cent. Of the 353 inmates tested at Patti, 235 were found infected.
At Amritsar Central Jail, around 436 inmates, of the total 1,212 screened, were suffering from the disease. The positivity rate at Ludhiana Central Jail was 37 per cent — 1,136 inmates were screened and 419 were found infected.
The Pathankot Sub Jail reported 10 per cent positivity rate, while Malerkotla Sub Jail reported 8.29 per cent infection rate.
Dr Manhardeep Kaur, state nodal officer, said it was a major cause for concern since the positivity rate was very high in some jails.
"Our teams will interrogate the ailing inmates to ascertain the possible reasons of the spread of the infection. Some inmates are intravenous drug users and there is a possibility that this has caused the spread of the infection," said Dr Kaur.
from The Tribune https://ift.tt/iOtg0oW
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