AMARAVATI: A total of 1,375 prisoners in 41 jails in Andhra Pradesh have been infected with COVID-19 and one has succumbed, Director General of Prisons Mohd Ahsan Reza said on Thursday. While 380 have recovered and there are 873 active cases in various jails across the state.

Five of the COVID-19 positive prisoners escaped from custody while undergoing treatment in hospitals, he said as reported by a news agency, adding police are on the lookout for the accused.

The DGP said that 116 inmates who have tested positive have been enlarged on bail. He said the prison inmates who tested positive for coronavirus were being treated in the respective jails only.

He said that majority of the cases are only asymptomatic and facilities have been created for the treatment.

"We are isolating the patients and ensuring proper medicare, even administering costly injections with the help of the local administration," the DG said.

Among the staff in 41 prisons, including four Central Jails, in the state, 241 tested positive for COVID-19 and four died. Of the 241, 95 were cured and 142 were active cases.

After the outbreak of coronavirus in March, the Department of Prisons released 430 prisoners on interim bail and over 2,100 on regular bail to avoid congestion in the cramped jails. The jails had also banned meeting of kin and lawyers with the prison inmates to prevent the infection.

The DGP said that recently the Central Jails in Kadapa, Rajamahendravaram and Nellore saw a major caseload, and thus the influx of new inmates could possibly led to the spread of infection.

The Department of Prisons has been organizing weekly tests in all jails for the staff as well as inmates.

"We have so far completed at least 20 rounds of testing.Besides good food, we are now providing dry fruits and chicken diet to the inmates to keep them healthy and ensure the infection is contained," Ahsan Reza said.