18-case Covid-19 cluster found at Vaughn Correctional Center

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WHYY photo.

The Delaware Department of Correction identified a cluster of inmate Coronavirus cases in one housing building at James T. Vaughn Correctional Center, the state’s largest prison.

The prison, at the edge of New Castle County, is located near Smyrna.

As cases spike in Delaware, the department had already implemented daily temperature and pulse oxygen level checks for inmates at several prisons and work release centers, on top of other screening, testing, and cleaning efforts.  

Since Friday screening measures and rapid COVID-19 tests have identified 18 positive cases in one housing building at Vaughn.

Six of the inmates are displaying no symptoms and 12 are displaying only minor symptoms. All have been moved to the prison’s Covid-19 Treatment Center.

Three of the 18 JTVCC inmates who tested positive were transferred in late September from out-of-state correctional facilities. 

These inmates received a Covid-19 test and tested negative before returning to Delaware, and were tested a second time in Delaware and tested negative while on a 14-day quarantine before entering the general prison population.

On Nov. 12 the DOC temporarily suspended in-person visitation statewide  as public health officials report rapidly increasing numbers of positive test results and indications of significant community spread of the disease.