The former Medway Secure Training Centre, which closed in March, will be temporarily reopened to house adult prisoners during the coronavirus outbreak.

The Ministry of Justice announced this week that the centre in Rochester will be used as an annex to nearby HMP Rochester, housing up to 70 category D adult prisoners.

Prisoners were due to be moved to the STC site yesterday and it will be staffed by existing prison staff from local prisons in Kent.

A statement published on the government's website said the move followed the installation of the first of 500 temporary, single occupancy cells which began three weeks ago; with more than 300 so far delivered to nine prisons.

It added: "Across the estate, prisons are moving towards single-cell accommodation, as much as possible, to limit the spread of infection and the number of deaths. The strong measures the Prison Service is taking - creating extra cells, limiting prisoner movement, releasing some prisoners early, isolating those with symptoms and quarantining new arrivals - are successfully limiting the transmission of the virus.

"The latest modelling by Public Health England and HM Prison and Probation Service predicts a drastic reduction in the spread rates of the infection, with each case being passed on to less than one person – meaning lives should be saved and the NHS is being protected from the impact of widespread local outbreaks."

Temporary cells have now been installed to serve HMPs Highpoint, Hollesley Bay and North Sea Camp; while installation continues at HMPs Askham Grange, Coldingley, Hatfield, Lindholme, Littlehey, Moorland and Wymott; alongside plans to deliver further prisons across the estate as required.

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