Nine UK prisoners die after contracting coronavirus

Nine people have died in UK prisons after contracting coronavirus, it is understood.

Three of the prisoners were at HMP Littlehey in Cambridgeshire. Others were in Belmarsh in London, Altmore on Merseyside, Whatton in Nottinghamshire, Low Newton in County Durham, and HMP Manchester.

A total of 107 prisoners had tested positive for coronavirus as of Sunday evening. There were also said to be 7,200 prison staff absent for reasons related to Covid-19, with 19 having tested positive.

A Ministry of Justice spokesperson did not deny the death toll.

The news comes after the Government announced a controversial practice for managing the virus.

Prisons have been told to "cohort" inmates - meaning keeping prisoners who have tested positive for coronavirus in cells with those who are "suspected" to have the virus, which may only be flu.

Lubia Begum-Rob of the Prisoner Advice Service, which has called for the release of all low-risk and vulnerable prisoners, told the Guardian: “Cohorting prisoners, because of multiple cases of inmates displaying symptoms, can only work in containing the virus if each prisoner is kept in his or her own cell.

“Such prisoners should not be sharing a cell with another displaying symptoms, given that one prisoner may have the common flu and the other may have Covid-19.”

MPs are set to question Justice Secretary Robert Buckland on Tuesday about the justice system's response to the coronavirus outbreak.

This includes the temporary release of 4,000 low-risk prisoners to reduce the spread of coronavirus, as well as pregnant inmates and those with very young children.

More than half of criminal and civil court buildings have also been closed.

Additional reporting by PA Media.