KEY POINTS The city will set free inmates convicted for non-violent offenses and sentenced to serve less than a year

“It is a very complicated dynamic, it’s one that we’ve literally never dealt with before,” Mayor Bill De Blasio said

About 700 other inmates, jailed for parole violations, will also be considered for an early release

New York City Mayor Bill De Blasio in a press conference on Tuesday said the city will immediately release about 300 inmates from Rikers Island to curb the spread of coronavirus

The city will set free inmates convicted for non-violent offenses and sentenced to serve less than a year.

“It is a very complicated dynamic, it’s one that we’ve literally never dealt with before,” said de Blasio

The announcement came in after Ross MacDonald, the chief medical officer for Correctional Health Services in New York, through a series of tweets called on prosecutors and judges to release prisoners from the state's jails.

The authorities were finding it hard to control the rise in the number of jail inmates and staff testing positive for the virus. At least 54 prisoners and 30 Department of Correction staff members tested positive as of Tuesday.

Initially, the number of inmates considered for an early release added up to 500 individuals. This included sexual offenders, people charged with domestic violence and others with legal issues. Understanding the havoc it might cause if these people were set free, the authorities scrutinized the list and brought the numbers down to 300.

“There are some who have domestic violence charges or sexual violence charges who I have determined we are not prepared to release at this point,” he added.

About 700 other inmates, jailed for parole violations, will also be considered for an early release after a thorough inspection of their cases.

According to de Blasio, more than 5,000 people are currently serving sentences in New York City’s prison system.