A number of people at Dartmoor Prison have tested positive for Covid-19, the Prison Service has today confirmed.

In a statement to the Times the Prison Office spokesperson, who could not confirm whether it was inmates or staff or both affected, said: ‘Our priority is to limit the spread of the virus and to protect the lives of those who live and work in our prisons.

‘We have taken precautionary measures at HMP Dartmoor following a number of positive cases, in line with public health guidance, and will continue to closely monitor the situation.’

The prison service said no prisoners or staff were currently in hospital due to Covid related symptoms.

It said a strategy published in June for managing the pandemic detailed effective measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus in prisons, led by the latest public health advice. This included quarantining new arrivals, isolating the symptomatic and shielding the vulnerable, and providing staff with personal protective equipment to keep them safe.