11 convicts detained at the Marala GK Prison have tested positive for COVID-19.
Maralal County, CEC Health Stephen Lekupe has stated that the 11 patients are currently in an isolation centre established at the prison.
Lekupe also confirmed that the cases emerged out of tests carried out in the past one week.
Out of the 11 cases, six are Egyptians who were recently charged at a Maralal Court for being in the country illegally.
The six were then held at Maralal Prison where they later tested positive for COVID-19.
More than 1,700 inmates have tested positive for COVID-19 since it was first reported in the country in March this year.
The surge in cases has been attributed to congestion which compromises social distancing inside prison cells.
However, to counter the challenge of social distancing the Judiciary intervened and released petty offenders.
The Government has also instituted isolation centers in prisons across the country to avert the spread of infections in prisons.
