Another prisoner has contracted Hepatitis C at Canberra's prison, in what is believed to be the result of sharing dirty needles.
Health authorities would not release details about the prisoner's case, to protect his identity, but The Canberra Times understands the prisoner is an intravenous drug user.
''We can confirm that during a period of continuous imprisonment a detainee, who was previously negative, has now tested positive to Hepatitis C,'' an ACT Health spokesman said.
It has been well established that prisoners are re-using and sharing infected needles, and the Government is due to announce by the end of the year whether it will introduce a safe injecting facility at the jail.
Chief Minister Katy Gallagher's spokeswoman said news of the transmission in the Alexander Maconochie Centre did not change the Minister's resolve to introduce a safe injecting program.
But Ms Gallagher has been stymied in her plan to introduce a clean syringe program by staunch opposition from the prison guards' union.
Community and Public Sector Union ACT regional secretary Vince McDevitt said the fact drugs and dirty needles were found in the jail did not mean the Government should ''facilitate taking illegal substances''.
''It's not conclusive he got it from sharing a dirty needle, but even if he did, it's still not our belief there is the support among the prison guards or the prisoners for such a program.''
It is the second time a prisoner who has been continuously imprisoned has contracted Hepatitis C.
Last May it was revealed another prisoner had tested positive for the virus, but his body successfully fought off the disease. There have been separate reports of three prisoners - who were not continuously in custody - developing the virus during their period of imprisonment.
But a report by the Burnet Institute handed to the ACT Government in April indicates the full picture of disease transmission in the jail may never be known.
ACT Health found more than half of audited medical records showed no evidence of screening having been conducted.
The confirmed transmission comes after high-profile health and legal figures, including Justice Michael Kirby, warned the ACT could be leaving itself open to lawsuits by not introducing its planned trial before now.
Any individual challenge to the laws would be for a court to decide.
This reporter is on Twitter: @_biancah
.gif)
