168 inmates at Manila jail fall ill due to summer heat

MANILA, Philippines - With the fierce summer heat and overcrowding, at least 168 inmates at the Manila City Jail have fallen ill, including one who was hospitalized for heat stroke. Radio dzBB's Carlo Mateo cited a report by Jail Officer 2 Victoria Brillantes, duty nurse at the Manila City Jail, as saying that the diseases ranged from infections to tuberculosis. Brillantes, duty nurse at the jail, said one of the inmates was rushed to the Jose Reyes Memorial Medical Center reportedly because of heat stroke. She did not name the inmate. She also reported that the 167 other inmates suffered from a range of diseases that included sores, wound infections, skin rashes, high blood pressure, asthma and tuberculosis. On the other hand, she said the situation was worsened because of the packed jail, which she said was initially designed to hold 1,500 inmates. At present, she said there are 4,580 inmates in the jail, more than three times its capacity. - GMANews.TV