WINNIPEG -- An outbreak of COVID-19 at the Stony Mountain Correctional Centre outside Winnipeg has spiked to more than 70 cases.
The first case of COVID-19 among inmates at Stony Mountain Institution was reported on Nov. 10. Now, less than two weeks later, 73 inmates at the jail have tested positive for the virus.
The Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) confirmed on Monday that one inmate has recovered from COVID-19. There are also eight active cases among employees at the institution.
In a statement to CTV News, the CSC said it has dedicated health services at Stony Mountain to monitor and treat inmates, which includes the necessary personal protective equipment.
"We are monitoring this situation closely and diligently, and we continue to apply our infection prevention and control measures," a spokesperson said in a written statement. "At (Stony Mountain Institution), all employees and inmates are equipped with medical masks and we have enhanced cleaning and disinfecting."
It said across its institutions, it has put infection prevention and control measures in place, including mandatory masks for inmates and staff, physical distancing measures, increased cleaning, and screening for anyone entering the site.
The CSC is also training 250 employees to do contact tracing and testing among inmates and staff, which includes asymptomatic testing.
CTV News has reached out to the Union of Canadian Correctional Officers for comment on the outbreak.
COVID CASES IN MANITOBA CORRECTIONAL CENTRES
Correctional centres in Manitoba continue to grapple with COVID-19, but some have started to report an increase in recoveries.
The Headingly Correctional Centre, which has the largest outbreak of COVID-19 cases among Manitoba correctional centres, currently has 60 active cases and 183 recoveries.
The centre has reported a total of 243 COVID-19 cases, including 201 among inmates and 42 among staff.
The other centres experiencing COVID-19 cases include:
- Agassiz Youth Centre, which has 13 active cases and four recoveries. It has reported a total of 17 cases, including 12 among inmates and five among staff.
- Women's Correctional Centre, which has seven active cases and 22 recoveries. It has reported a total of 29 cases, including 26 among inmates and three among staff.
- Winnipeg Remand Centre, which has seven active cases and two recoveries. It has reported a total of nine cases, including three among inmates and six among staff.
- Milner Ridge Correctional Centre, which has two active cases and one recovery. It has reported a total of three cases, all among staff.
- Manitoba Youth Centre, which has two active cases, all among staff, and no recoveries.
- Brandon Correctional Centre, which has one active case and two recoveries. It has reported a total of three cases, all among staff.
There have been no COVID-19 deaths reported in Manitoba Correctional Centres.
This is a developing story. More to come.