HMP Ashfield, in Pucklechurch, near Bristol, confirmed it conducted mass coronavirus testing last week. Upon detecting the outbreak, affected inmates at the private prison have been self isolating and restricted movements in order to slow the spread.

       However, despite the large number of inmates testing positive, prison director Martin Booth said he remained “cautiously optimistic” further transmission had been contained.

       Mr Booth stated over 90 percent of the Category C prison's 400 inmates had been double jabbed.

       The prison director also confirmed the “outbreak” was the first one of its kind in the prison.

       He told the BBC his “priority is to keep everyone safe”.

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       The prison has since been “working closely with our NHS Healthcare partner and Public Health England to implement the best possible strategy to manage the virus”, Mr Booth continued.

       A prison service spokeswoman said: “We have taken precautionary measures at HMP/YOI Eastwood Park in line with public health guidance, and will continue to closely monitor the situation.”

       The spokeswoman also stated all of the roughly 400 inmates have been offered a Covid jab.

       The spokeswoman also confirmed staff dealing with Covid-infected prisoners have access to full PPE.

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       Similarly, there have been recent reports of an “outbreak” from the nearby women's prison and young offenders institute at HMP Eastwood Park.

       The report also comes after a prison on the Isle of Man was forced to go into lockdown after an outbreak hit the facility's two wings.

       It means visits to the Jurby prison were suspended, increased staff testing and offenders having limited time away from cells.

       The UK is currently experiencing a surge in Covid cases as the heavily mutated Omicron variant spreads across the nation.

       On Wednesday, Britain recorded 78,610 new infections, marking the highest number of daily Covid cases since the beginning of the pandemic.

       The previous record was 68,053 on January 8 - when the UK was in lockdown.