Corrections Counts 13 COVID-Positive Cases At Facilities

The V.I. Bureau of Corrections has announced 13 COVID-19 positive cases at its facilities territorywide among both inmates and staff. No hospitalizations have been reported at this time.

“The risk of a COVID-19 outbreak or resurgence at a prison or jail increases whenever there is a wide community spread of COVID-19 coupled with the movement of staff and prisoners in and out of a facility,” BOC Director Wynnie Testamark said in a statement Monday. “The Bureau has taken concrete steps to minimize the COVID-19 risk at its facilities in accordance with CDC guidelines.”

As part of BOC’s medical intake and screening process, all new inmates or detainees are observed and questioned about their urgent health needs, while staff works to identify and take care of any immediate or easily identifiable issues that require immediate medical attention. Those who may be contagious are isolated, according to a Monday news release.