Ammon News - AMMONNEWS - A security source on Saturday said an inmate, in the Bab al-Hawa Correction and Rehabilitation Center, in the northern governorate of Irbid, had tested positive with the coronavirus.

The source told the Jordan News Agency (Petra) that a doctor in the center's hospital, had suspected that an inmate had been infected with the virus, and after tests were carried out, the result came back positive, and the infected person was immediately transferred to Prince Hamzah Hospital in Amman to take the necessary measures by the competent health authorities.

As a precaution, the center was sterilized and necessary preventive measures were taken, the source indicated.

In addition, Director of Irbid Health Directorate, Riyadh Al-Shayab denied news on recording 19 cases of Covid-19 in the center.

Al-Shayab told Petra that only one infection was recorded for a detainee in an Ajloun police station, and he was transferred to the Bab al-Hawa Correction and Rehabilitation Center under the health protocol followed with detainees by which a special dormitories shall allocated for those who test positive for Covid-19.

He pointed out that the detainee was already informed of his infection before entering the center, and the result came back positive according to the protocol followed with detainees, from whom samples are collected in coordination with the relevant security authorities to verify their epidemiological condition before entering correction centers.

He noted that this procedure is followed with all detainees, adding that after confirming the detainee's infection, samples were collected from all detainees who were in contact with him inside the police station or the cell, in addition to everyone who had contacted him during his arrest.

He said that 14 people were arrested with the infected person, and samples were taken from them for laboratory testing in accordance with the health protocol used in dealing with such cases, pointing out that the results of those in contact with the infected have not been announced yet.