A 75% spike: How Covid spread faster among Delhi prison staff than inmates

In Delhi's prisons, the most crowded in India as per newly-released data, the total number of COVID-19 cases spiked by 75.18% from 137 to 240 in 58 days

In the national capital’s three prison complexes--Tihar, Mandoli and Rohini--175 of 240 confirmed COVID-19 cases (72.9%) by August 30 were among jail staff and the rest (65 or 27.1%) were among inmates. Cases among inmates increased by 22.6% while those among staff increased by 108.3% in 58 days to August 30, according to data provided by said Sandeep Goel, the Director General of Prisons, Delhi. This was in contrast to the trend in jails across India where most COVID-19 cases were reported among inmates.

For instance, in Maharashtra, around 1,043 prisoners and 302 jail staff tested positive for COVID-19 by August