SINGAPORE - The 21-year-old prison inmate who was reported to have tested positive for coronavirus on Friday had been sentenced on June 12 for overstaying.

Giving more information on the man, who is Sri Lankan, the Singapore Prison Service (SPS) said on Saturday (June 20) that he arrived here on Jan 10.

He was admitted to Changi Prison Complex on June 6 as a remand prisoner and sentenced via videoconferencing on June 12 to four weeks' jail and three strokes of the cane for overstaying.

As part of SPS' precautionary measures, new individuals admitted into prison must be segregated for 14 days from the general inmate population, as well as undergo a swab test before and after being segregated. Only then can they be allowed to join the general inmate population.

SPS said the man tested negative at the point of admission and has been asymptomatic since. He was detected to be Covid-19 positive on June 18 while still separated from other inmates.

As the inmate has remained asymptomatic, he currently does not require medication or treatment, SPS said.

Two other inmates who were admitted on the same day as the 21-year-old inmate have tested negative for Covid-19. SPS said these two would be tested again before they are allowed to join the general inmate population.

The inmate who tested positive for Covid-19 will undergo a medical review to assess if he is medically fit, and has recovered from the infection, before he is caned.