The positive test at Hydebank Wood College comes around four months after the first positive test of a prisoner in Northern Ireland in Maghaberry last September.

A spokesperson for the prison service said: “A female in our care at Hydebank has tested positive for Covid-19. She is being cared for by our staff and colleagues from the South Eastern Trust and her family has been informed.

“This is the first positive test of a female prisoner in Northern Ireland and only the third prisoner who wasn’t a new committal to test positive since the outbreak of the pandemic.

“The Prison Service will continue to take all necessary steps to ensure the safety of everyone in our prisons during these challenging times.”