The Delaware Department of Correction (DOC) today announced four additional positive COVID-19 test results. Two additional inmates have tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the total number to 4 inmates to test positive for the virus. One additional Probation and Parole Officer tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the total number to 2 Probation and Parole Officers to test positive for the virus. One additional Correctional Officer tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the total number to 10 Correctional Officers to test positive for the virus.
– An inmate at James T. Vaughn Correctional Center. The inmate is part of a housing unit that has been carefully monitored by healthcare workers for more than a week, with temperature checks two times a day. It is the same housing unit in which the first two inmates to test positive for COVID-19 are housed. When this inmate began to register a fever during a temperature check on Wednesday, April 8, he was immediately moved to isolation in the prison infirmary, where he received a COVID-19 test. The positive test result was returned on Thursday evening, April 9. The inmate continues to be treated in the prison infirmary and is in stable condition.
– An inmate at James T. Vaughn Correctional Center. The inmate is part of a housing unit that has been carefully monitored by healthcare workers for more than a week, with temperature checks two times a day. It is the same housing unit in which the first two inmates to test positive for COVID-19 are housed. When this inmate began to register a fever during a temperature check on Wednesday, April 8, he was immediately moved to isolation in the prison infirmary, where he received a COVID-19 test. The positive test result was returned on Thursday evening, April 9. As symptoms developed, the inmate was transported to an area hospital on Thursday afternoon, April 9, and was admitted for further evaluation and treatment; the inmate is in stable condition and is not in the Intensive Care Unit.
– A Probation and Parole Officer, who is assigned to the Sussex Community Corrections Center in Georgetown. The Probation and Parole Officer was last at the facility seven days ago – on Friday, April 3. After beginning to experience flu-like symptoms, the Officer began to self-isolate at home, and as symptoms developed the Officer sought medical attention, at which time a COVID-19 test was administered. The positive COVID-19 test result was received by the Officer on Thursday, April 9 and verified today by the DOC.
– A Correctional Officer, who is assigned to the Sussex Community Corrections Center in Georgetown. The Correctional Officer was last at the facility nine days ago – on Wednesday, April 1. After beginning to experience flu-like symptoms, the Officer began to self-isolate at home, and as symptoms developed the Officer sought medical attention, at which time a COVID-19 test was administered. The positive COVID-19 test result was received by the Officer this morning and verified today by the DOC.
No additional information will be provided about the identity of the inmates, the Probation and Parole Officer, and the Correctional Officer for privacy protection.
Note: The two inmates who tested positive for COVID-19 earlier this week continue to be treated in the prison infirmary and are in stable condition. In an abundance of caution, on Tuesday, April 7, the DOC moved inmates from the housing unit in which the first two COVID-19 patients were housed to a vacant building across the compound to provide more physical distance among inmates.
“DOC security staff, contract healthcare workers, facility leaders and central administration are working seamlessly, in accordance with our COVID-19 mitigation and treatment protocol, to identify and treat individuals who are symptomatic and to provide the best protection to our Officers, employees and those under our supervision,” Commissioner Claire DeMatteis said.
The DOC is employing a variety of prevention, screening, cleaning and containment measures to guard against the spread of the novel coronavirus, including:
- All persons, including Officers, administrative staff and Probationer, who enter any Probation and Parole Office and any person entering any Level IV violation of probation and work release and Level V prison facility are screened for COVID-19, including a series of questions and a forehead temperature check with a digital thermometer
- Staff who present with symptoms are sent home to self-quarantine and directed to contact their health care provider.
- Newly arriving inmates are held in isolation for the first 14 days, during which they are carefully monitored, including daily temperature checks with a thermometer.
- DOC has implemented extra daily cleaning of DOC facilities and is using specialized fogging machines to disinfect entire rooms of common areas, housing units and workspaces.
- Face masks are being worn by Correctional Officers and contract healthcare workers as a protection for inmates, Officers and other employees. Face masks are also being provided to inmates who are in infirmaries, those with compromised immune systems, and certain inmates with institutional jobs, including food service workers.
- Most Probationer visits with Probation Officers were transitioned to phone check-ins starting last month to support social distancing measures.
In addition, the DOC has temporarily suspended in-person prison programming to reduce the movement of people into facilities and movement of groups of people within facilities. Certain programs, including treatment and education programs and religious programming, are being transitioned to a virtual video format. Inmates continue to have outside recreation opportunities within their confined areas and continue to have access to phones to stay in regular contact with their loved ones. DOC is also expanding the use of electronic tablets among the inmate population, where available.
Get updated information about the DOC’s response to COVID-19, read previous announcements of positive COVID-19 cases and review an informational chart of positive COVID-19 cases by DOC facility by clicking HERE and visiting https://doc.delaware.