The Delaware Department of Correction announced that inmate recoveries from COVID have reached 44 – an increase of 10 since earlier this week.
This past week the DOC upgraded wiring in the treatment center to support the use of electronic tablets. To supplement telephone access, the tablets provide inmate COVID patients the opportunity to initiate video visits with loved ones and to access video entertainment and educational programming from their cells.
The corrections system is being closely monitored, since outbreaks of the virus have occurred at corrections facilities throughout the nation.
“Today, only 16 inmate COVID patients are experiencing symptoms of illness, while 70 inmates with positive test results, who were identified through proactive testing, are asymptomatic with no fever, cough, shortness of breath or other symptom of the virus,”Commissioner Claire DeMatteis said. “All inmates in the treatment center, infirmary or area hospital are receiving round-the-clock monitoring and care. We also have taken steps to make them comfortable and keep them connected to loved ones, including through the use of hand-held tablets, which are similar to iPads. We will continue our rigorous efforts to screen, clean, test, isolate, treat and trace to prevent widespread contamination of the coronavirus.”
Earlier this week, the DOC highlighted the significant reduction in the state’s incarcerated population since COVID-19 spread to Delaware eight weeks ago, driven by a 25 percent reduction in the pre-trial detention population and a 33 percent decrease in its work release/violation of probation population. Over the same time, it has worked with criminal justice partners to facilitate more than 1,300 video court proceedings for individuals held in DOC custody to keep the wheels of justice turning during the state’s COVID-19 response.
