Officials announce Pennsylvania's first COVID-19 case in prison system
(File)
HARRISBURG, Pa. - Pennsylvania Department of Corrections on Sunday announced the first positive case of coronavirus in the state's prison system.
The department says a male inmate with underlying health conditions at SCI Phoenix in Montgomery County recently tested positive for the virus. The patient has reportedly been isolated from the other inmates.
Officials have traced this inmate’s interaction with other inmates and employees and are isolating impacted inmates to a specific housing unit. Employees who had contact with the inmate are being monitored for symptoms.
Both staff and inmates have been provided with appropriate personal protective equipment and are instructed to wear them on the impacted housing unit.
SCI Phoenix opened ins 2018 and is reportedly equipped with isolation rooms in its infirmary to handle health outbreaks.
Department of Corrections Secretary John Wetzel says that increased cleaning of cells and common areas is underway.
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