GAIGHAT: A team of health workers from District Hospital has been deployed to the District Prison in Udayapur after a large number of prisoners fell sick. As many as 116 inmates were found suffering from various illnesses including viral fever, common cold, and diarrhoea up until Tuesday.

According to jailer Kumar Khadka, two prisoners had fallen sick on Saturday and the illness started spreading to other inmates as well.

Jailer Khadka added that the health team after a preliminary diagnosis said that the illness was caused by the usage of contaminated water. The water in the prison is supplied by drinking water project from nearby Baruwa River.

The 15-member team including three doctors have started treatment of the inmates, informed Chief District Officer Dhurba Bahadur Khadka, adding that due to timely treatment by the team, the prisoners are out of mortal danger.

The 50-inmate capacity district prison, established in 1979, is in a dilapidated state. It is currently housing 173 prisoners, more than three times the original capacity.