Coronavirus outbreak: Prisoners break out of jail in Brazil ahead of lockdown

Amid coronavirus outbreak, several prisoners reportedly broke out of four Brazilian jails on March 16. According to international media reports, the prisoners broke out a day before their day-release privileges were due to be suspended over coronavirus outbreak. It Is still not clear how many prisoners had escaped as the authorities are ‘still tallying the exact number of fugitives’. 

While speaking to a Brazilian media outlet, the Sao Paulo state prison authorities said that the ‘acts of insubordination’ had taken place ahead of suspension of the day-release program. It further added that the suspension was necessary as approximately 34,000 convicts would be returning to jail and would have a high potential to install and propagate the coronavirus in a vulnerable population. It further added that it would have generated health risks to servers and custodians.

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Coronavirus outbreak has also created a panic situation in Italy as inmates across the nation attempted prison breaks. The overcrowded prisons of Italy pose a major risk with severe health and logistical challenges. Under the measures taken against the coronavirus outbreak, prison administrations had implemented restriction including a ban on visitors and leave permits after which prisoners managed to escape after a collective break in Foggia, in the southern region of Apulia. 

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‘Controllable pandemic’

The worldwide outbreak has sickened more than 1,82,000 people and left more than 7,000 dead. The deadly virus has already infected 234 people in Brazil. Meanwhile, the World Health Organisation (WHO) had declared the coronavirus as a global pandemic after the virus spread to more than 160 countries and territories. WHO chief Tedros Adhanom further even urged all nations to get very serious over the issue and take all necessary measures to contain the virus from spreading at this rate. 

However, Tedros also said that the coronavirus outbreak is a controllable pandemic. According to a statement released by the World Health Organisation, Tedros outlined two main reasons as to why the decision was taken to describe the epidemic as a pandemic. Tedros said that one reason was the speed and scale of transmission and the others was because 'countries are not approaching this threat with the level of political commitment needed to control it'.

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