Four of the five infected patients are employees at the prison.
A statement from the General Directorate of Prison Administration and Reintegration (DGAPR) announced that the infections include four prison employees and one detainee.
The statement added that DGAPR is working to prevent the spread of the virus.
The directorate emphasized that all the patients have been transferred to a hospital for medical care.
The Ksar El Kbir’s local prison is the first and only jail in Morocco to announce contamination to date.
The Moroccan government took measures to avoid contaminations inside prisons after the outbreak was detected in the country on March 2.
DGAPR announced that it is taking strict measures to protect prisoners and employees in all prisons, emphasizing that it distributed protective face masks to employees and prisoners.
On March 25, DGAPR decided to divide its staff into two groups, each working for two full weeks. The measure aims to keep prisons safe from the spread of the novel coronavirus and to protect inmates.
Correctional officers and prison staff who have contact with inmates underwent a quarantine phase to ensure that they could not transmit any potential COVID-19 infections to detainees.
DGAPR confirmed that the country’s prisons are well-equipped with all the necessary means to prevent COVID-19 outbreaks.