Nang Rong Prison in Buriram province has temporarily suspended relative visits across specific zones following the detection of COVID-19 cases and scabies among inmates, according to announcements from the facility and the Department of Corrections. The targeted lockdown affects Zone 1, Zone 3, and the receiving area, where visitor access is blocked for a 30-day period running from August 31 to September 30, 2026.
Visitor Restrictions and Operational Adjustments
According to prison administration reports, the temporary visitor suspension was enacted after routine screening protocols caught new arrivals carrying the virus. On August 30, 2026, prison nurses conducted Antigen Test Kit (ATK) screenings that identified roughly 50 inmates infected with COVID-19. To contain the spread, officials restricted movement and barred family visits in the receiving zone, Zone 1, and Zone 3. Inmates testing positive exhibit only mild symptoms, according to statements from the facility. Medical staff have separated infected individuals from the general population to monitor their health closely in coordination with a network hospital providing clinical oversight. Meanwhile, visits to Zone 2 remain operational under standard disease control and health monitoring measures, and relatives retain the ability to deposit money and purchase gifts for inmates at designated checkpoints.
Management of Scabies Outbreaks
Alongside the viral infections, facility reports confirm that multiple inmates have contracted scabies. To manage the parasitic skin condition, the prison administration is consolidating infected prisoners from Zone 2, Zone 3, and the receiving zone into designated quarters. This grouping allows medical staff to streamline physical examinations, medication distribution, and hygiene access. Rigorous sanitation protocols have been deployed across the institution, which houses approximately 2,300 male and female inmates. Prison personnel routinely clean living quarters, toilets, and shared surfaces, while clothing belonging to infected individuals is boiled and sun-dried to eliminate parasites. Facility leadership has also increased ventilation and natural sunlight exposure in affected blocks to lower transmission risks before evaluating conditions for a return to normal visitation.
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