There were no new positive COVID-19 cases reported among Department of Public Safety (PSD) staff or inmates Monday after infections were reported at O‘ahu Community Correctional Facility last week.
No other outbreaks have been identified at any of the other facilities in the state. There were six inmates at OCCC diagnosed with the coronavirus. Adult correctional officers on O‘ahu, three at OCCC, two Waiawa Correctional Facility and one at Halawa Correctional Facility also tested positive for COVID-19.
Contact tracing of all previously reported positive COVID-19 cases within the Department is on-going with the Department of Health (DOH).
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“I commend our staff for taking swift action, with the assistance of the Department of Health, as they make every effort to mitigate the spread of this COVID-19 cluster that has formed at OCCC,” says Public Safety Director Nolan Espinda. “What is important to note is that the facility implemented the PSD Pandemic Plan to identify the cluster quickly and lock down movement. We are working with DOH on staff and inmate testing, and we are implementing immediate disinfecting/sanitizing measures in the housing and intake areas of OCCC.”
The DOH is organizing the testing of OCCC staff and inmates, identified through contact tracing as having possible exposure to the virus cluster at OCCC. DOH is coordinating with the National Guard to perform the testing, starting today and through this week.
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.
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With the concurrence of the Judiciary, all transports to court from all O‘ahu facilities will be suspended through Wednesday. 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.
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