New Delhi, March 18 (IANS): The coronavirus scare has reached Tihar Jail as well as other jails in the national capital and a total of 18 prisoners have been quarantined so far.

The isolated prisoners include eight foreign nationals out of which three are from Afghanistan. They also include four women.

Till three to four days ago there were 12 Afghan nationals among the quarantined prisoners but the number has come down to three now. They were all arrested by the Customs Department.

Additional Inspector General Raj Kumar on Wednesday confirmed the precautionary measures taken by the Tihar authorities. "Yes, we have adopted the precautionary measures following the coronavirus fear. Some Indian and foreign nationals have been put into isolation. It was required as per the advisories issued by the government and health department," he told IANS.

He said three persons from jail number 3, five from jail number 5, three from jail number 8-9 and one from jail number 10 (Rohini jail) have been put in isolation.

Similarly, one prisoner from Mandoli's jail number 14 and two from jail number 16 have been isolated. Jail 16 is a women's jail.

According to Tihar jail data accessed by IANS, a total of four women prisoners from two jails have been isolated as a precautionary measure.

Presently, eight prisoners from five countries have been isolated. In central jail 7, four prisoners have been put in isolation including three Afghan and one Kyrgyzstan national.

The three prisoners from jail number 8-9 who have been separated from others include two from Jordan and one from Saudi Arabia. Similarly, a Brazilian national has been isolated in Central jail 10 (Rohini jail).