The Mulhouse (Haut-Rhin) remand center has been declared a "
cluster
" of the Covid-19 epidemic by the Grand-Est Regional Health Agency, announced Monday, October 19, Catherine Ehrlacher, director of this establishment which accommodates 356 inmates.
Read also: Covid-19 in prison: "We are taking the second wave head on"
The cases detected are "
not serious, with small symptoms that do not require extraction for hospitalization
", reassured the director.
"
The situation is nothing to worry about, it is just linked to the fact that we are increasing the number of internal tests
".
According to the FO Pénitentiaire union, 13 cases were reported, both among prisoners and among the 190 members of the prison staff.
A cluster refers to a situation where 3 contaminations are confirmed or probable in a group over a period of 7 days.
As a precaution, the extractions of detainees to the judicial court have ceased, and the hearings in correctional or immediate appearance were held Monday by videoconference.
Generalized mask wearing
Preventive measures had already been taken in the face of the resurgence of the epidemic.
"
The wearing of a mask is generalized inside the remand center, whereas before it was only compulsory for visiting rooms, extractions, school lessons or workshops
", underlined Catherine Ehrlacher.
“
All collective cultural and worship activities have been suspended
”.
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Within the remand center, one floor is reserved for inmates who must be confined if they test positive.
New entrants and inmates returning from leave are “
systematically
” placed in solitary confinement for 7 to 14 days.
With a weekly incidence rate of 117.4 per 100,000 inhabitants, according to data published Monday by Santé Publique France, the Haut-Rhin department has not yet crossed the reinforced alert threshold, unlike the neighboring department of Bas -Rhin (178.8 cases per 100,000 inhabitants).
However, the situation has deteriorated rapidly in recent days, and the incidence rate has increased fourfold since the beginning of the month: on October 1, it stood at 28.7 cases per 100,000 inhabitants.
