SOUTH CAROLINA, USA — South Carolina prison staff are continuing their efforts to try to curb the spread of the coronavirus as more inmates test positive.
As of Tuesday evening, 563 offenders and at least 189 staff members had tested positive for the virus. Seven inmates have died.
According to the State Department of Corrections (SCDC), staff interaction, new arrivals and dorm-like facilities, including shared bathrooms and other multi-use spaces likely contributed to the spread.
They've since stopped visitation and new arrivals, limited staff to those critical to operations and increased testing in "hot spot" locations.
"Before, we were only able to test people with symptoms," SCDC Director Bryan Stirling said. "Now, we can do targeted testing at institutions."
Last week, they began a new initiative to ramp-up testing with the addition of state relief funding and support from the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC).
He says they've since tested two dorms with increased activity at the Tyger River and Kirkland facilities.
"At Tyger River, about half the people came back positive," Stirling said of those tested. "At Kirkland... 150 were tested, 26 came back positive, and one inmate in the second dorm out of 157 came back, so they'll be moved to quarantine units and be monitored."
The inmates in a dorm where only one person tested positive will be retested to make sure they are still negative, according to a statement from the department. On Thursday, two additional dorms at Kirkland will be tested and the process will continue until all 1,573 inmates at the institution are tested along with staff.
Similarly, at Tyger River, testing will continue until all 894 inmates along with staff have been tested, the statement read. They also plan to begin testing at MacDougall on Friday with two housing units and continue until all inmates at the location have been tested. MacDougall's staff is also expected to be tested next week.
The agency says inmates and staff clean living areas throughout the day, those on quarantine have their vitals checked regularly, and everyone is required to wear masks, unless they have a medical condition that prevents it.
"Family members are right to be concerned. I would be concerned if I had a loved one that was incarcerated, but I just want them to know that we are literally doing everything we can, practically working, well, we are working around the clock to make sure their loved ones are safe," Stirling said.
Across their system, 128 inmates have recovered from the virus along with 95 staff members. SCDC houses more than 16,000 inmates.