Mumbai, Apr 21 (IANS): Around 39 women inmates of the Byculla Women's Jail, including murder-accused Indrani Mukerjea have tested Covid-19 positive and have been shifted to an isolation centre, official sources said here on Wednesday.

The development came after around 80 prisoners and jail officials tested positive during the last weekend, including a woman from the Byculla Women's Jail.

Later, tests were carried out on the approximately 350 women there from which around 39 tested positive, but mostly with mild Covid symptoms.

As a precaution they have been shifted to a temporary isolation centre in a nearby school and quarantined under tight security provided by women personnel along with CCTVs, three doctors and medicare staff, arrangements to serve all meals, etc.

Indrani Mukerjea, a former media company executive, is in jail since her arrest on August 25, 2015 as one of the prime suspects in connection with the ghastly murder of her daughter Sheena Bora in 2012.

Since the one year of the pandemic around 260 prisoners and more than 100 jail staff have been infected by Covid-19 in 47 prisons across the state, worrying the health and home department authorities.

Last year, to prevent infections in the jail premises, several measures including releasing around 7,200 prisoners to decongest the prisons in the state populated by 35,000 inmates.