Costa Rica reports mumps outbreak in prisons

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews

Costa Rica health officials are reporting (computer translated) a mumps outbreak affecting several prisons across the country. Through Sept. 20, 164 cases of mumps have been reported with 48 still in isolation.

The affected prisons include:

CAI Jorge Arturo Montero (Reforma): 4 cases, all remain in isolation.

CAI Gerardo Rodríguez (San Rafael de Alajuela): 59 cases of which 19 are in isolation.

CAI Luis Paulino Mora (San Rafael de Alajuela): 11 cases in isolation.

CAI Calle Real, Liberia: 1 case.

CAI Carlos Luis Fallas (Pococí): 60 cases of which 5 are in isolation.

CAI Antonio Bastida de Paz (Pérez Zeledón): 24 cases of which 5 are in isolation.

CAI Marcus Garvey (Lemon): 5 cases of which 3 are in isolation

The outbreak prompted several of the prisons to cancel visits and transfer of prisoners.

The authorities of the Ministry of Justice and Peace and the Ministry of Health will meet with senior officials of the Judiciary to define a road map so as not to hinder the work of judicial officials and provide them with all Information and follow-up on the outbreak of mumps.

Another agreement is to vaccinate judicial officials who have contact with the population deprived of liberty.

The Minister of Justice and Peace, Marcia González, said that this week there are seven closed criminal centers and that creates additional challenges as a prison system that cannot be solved alone.

“This leads us to coordinate with other institutions. I am very grateful for the support we have been getting from both the Costa Rican Social Security Fund and the Ministry of Health not only to contain this outbreak, but to prevent any kind of spread to the general population, ”said the head.

During this week the measures have been extreme and more than 400 people among technical personnel, Penitentiary Police and deprived of liberty have received the vaccine.

On the other hand, the authorities of the Ministry of Justice and Peace and the Ministry of Health have visited the centers affected by the outbreak to talk, face to face, with those deprived of liberty. They were stressed the importance of extreme hygienic measures and abide by the recommendations of Health personnel.

Dr. Rodrigo Marín, director of Health Surveillance, said that one of the measures they are taking is to strengthen the hygienic-sanitary measures at the level of the country’s prisons and achieve vaccination not only for those deprived of liberty, but also also to all prison staff working with them.

The target population to be vaccinated is approximately 8,000 people, including persons deprived of liberty, custodians, prison staff and workers of the Judiciary.

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