4 OCCC Staff Test Positive for COVID-19

Courtesy of Department of Public Safety

Four additional O‘ahu Community Correctional Center (OCCC) staff members tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the cumulative total to 47 as of Aug. 24.

A cluster was identified in OCCC earlier this month where 242 prisoners have now been infected with the coronavirus. As a result of the surge in cases at the facility, 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.

The initial round of mass testing was completed on Aug. 20. Some pending tests are still being received and re-testing is underway. PSD received 159 more inmate test reports, which are a combination of pending results and re-tests. 158 were negative, and one was inconclusive.

The DOH will continue conducting follow up testing in the coming weeks on all inmates requiring it at OCCC. Of the 23 additional OCCC staff test results received, four were positive and 19 were negative.

Several steps have been taken to reduce the risk of further spread of the virus.

Professional deep-cleaning/sanitization services continue today through Thursday in three housing units (Annex 1, Module 18 and Module 19).

The inmate releases directed through the Hawai‘i Supreme Court (HSC) orders are on-going. There were no releases on Aug. 23. The HSC order requires that PSD provide a list of all inmates released under the order no later than the next day following the release.

All transports to court from all O‘ahu facilities are suspended through Aug. 28. 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.