KAWARTHA LAKES-Kawartha 411 News has learned that an inmate at the Central East Correctional Centre in Lindsay has tested positive for Coronavirus.
Our sources say the inmate had been brought into the jail in the last 14 days. New inmates are put into an intake isolation unit where they are monitored for 14 days. It’s unclear if the inmate will now be moved to one of the specialized negative pressure cells.
“The inmate was placed in medical isolation upon admission and remains there, in accordance with operating procedures. The inmate continues to receive medical care.” Kristy Denette, Spokesperson, Ministy of Solicitor General told Kawartha 411 News.
Denette says the impacted inmate has not been housed with other inmates and all areas where the inmate may have come into contact have been cleaned.
CECC and all correctional institutions have an individualized pandemic plan utilized in consultation with local public health partners according to The Ministry.
“Public safety and the health and safety of our staff and those in our custody is the top priority. We recognize and thank our dedicated staff, who are working hard to keep our correctional facilities and our communities safe.” Denette stated.
According to The Ministry easures implemented at all institutions include:
- personal protection equipment for all staff as required
- requiring all staff and visitors at correctional institutions to wear masks at all times (masks are also provided to inmates if required)
- temperature checks for staff and visitors
- working with local public health units to test inmates and staff as appropriate
- housing new inmates in a separate area from the general population for 14 days
- medical isolation of impacted inmates as appropriate
- staff self-isolating as directed by local public health
- increased cleaning measures
“We have also made operational changes at our adult provincial correctional institutions to prevent the spread of COVID-19, including restricting personal visitors, substantially reducing inmate in-person court appearances and proactively reducing the inmate population. All of our institutions, including CECC, are within operation capacity.” Denette explained.
Hundreds of inmates have been released from the jail over the last month due to the threat of Coronavirus. The Ministry told Kawartha 411 only low risk offenders, those close to the end of their sentence and serving weekend sentences were released.
“The health and safety of our staff and those in our custody is the top priority.” Kristy Denette, Spokesperson, Ministry of Solicitor General told Kawartha 411 News at the time. “We have made operational changes at our adult provincial correctional institutions to prevent the spread of COVID-19, including restricting personal visitors, substantially reducing inmate in-person court appearances and proactively reducing the inmate population.”
For more on that story click here:https://www.kawartha411.ca/2020/04/08/hundreds-of-inmates-released-from-central-east-correctional-centre-in-lindsay-amid-coronavirus-concerns/
More to come…
