HONOLULU – Seventy (70) additional Oahu Community Correctional Center (OCCC) inmates and 7 adult corrections offices (ACOs) tested positive for COVID-19.
The Department of Public Safety (PSD) coordinated with the Department of Health (DOH) to conduct mass testing of all OCCC inmates in each of the 19 individual housing units there. In all, approximately 110 inmates were tested Tuesday with 70 testing positive and 40 negative. Another 63 inmates were tested yesterday and those test results are pending. All remaining inmates will be tested in the coming days.
“As the mass testing continues, we expect to see more positive cases. We appreciate how fast the DOH and National Guard are moving to coordinate the testing of identified staff and inmates. OCCC staff have done an amazing job following the PSD Pandemic Plan to quickly identify and quarantine these individuals. We will continue to be vigilant in our efforts to mitigate the spread of this virus,” says Public Safety Director Nolan Espinda.
The previous inmate testing numbers reported were tests conducted by facility health care staff, for symptom and/or in relation to possible contact with confirmed positive individuals.
• OCCC is contracting with a professional cleaning/sanitation company to perform a deep-clean of the quarantine housing and intake areas at OCCC as soon as possible. In the meantime, OCCC operations staff and work lines are increasing cleaning of all housing and intake areas.
• All transports to court from all Oahu facilities will be suspended through Friday. Video hearings will still be accommodated to the extent possible and as legally permissible. PSD is in constant contact with the Judiciary to assure the safety of all staff and inmates involved.
PSD will continue to closely monitor the spread of COVID-19 and make additional operational and preventative decisions as the situation evolves.
For more information on PSD’s planning and response to COVID-19, inmate testing data, and information detailing the efforts made to safeguard the inmates, staff and public, visit our webpage at: http://dps.hawaii.gov/…/coronavirus-covid-19-information-a…/
