SC corrections officer tests positive for coronavirus, inmates quarantined
A South Carolina prisons correctional officer at the Broad River Correctional Institution has tested positive for the coronavirus, making him the first known state corrections employee to contract the novel virus.
The officer, who was not named, tested positive on March 27, though he has been in self-isolation for the last 10 days, a spokeswoman for the South Carolina Department of Corrections said late Friday.
Inmates who had close contact with the officer at the Columbia prison are being quarantined for a 14-day period, spokesman Chrysti Shain said in an email.
Shain said that the officer will not return to work until fully recovered and said no inmates have tested positive.
“The officer worked in a special-population housing unit with 16 inmates,” Shain wrote. “All inmates were in single cells and are asymptomatic. The inmates are being quarantined and monitored in single cells for the next four days, which will complete the 14-day monitoring period.”
The institution has launched an investigation, with help from the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control, to see whether any other staff members or other inmates came in close contact with the officer.
Shain said the officer is the first corrections employee to test positive for the virus.
Shain also said that the department has been diligent at following advice from state health officials. Only essential personnel are allowed into the facilities, she added, and every person who leaves has their temperature taken and is screened for symptoms.
As of Friday afternoon, South Carolina has confirmed more than 530 coronavirus cases and at least 13 deaths.
BEHIND THE STORY
MOREWhat you should know about the coronavirus
The coronavirus is spreading in the United States. Officials are urging people to take precautions to avoid getting sick, and to avoid spreading the disease if they do contract it.
Click the drop-down icon on this card for more on the virus and what you should do to keep yourself and those around you healthy.
What is coronavirus?
Coronavirus is an infection of the respiratory system similar to the flu. Coronaviruses are a class of viruses that regularly cause illnesses among adults and children, but this outbreak has spawned a new disease called COVID-19, a particularly harsh respiratory condition that can lead to death.
Health officials believe COVID-19 spread from animals to humans somewhere in China. It spreads among humans by physical person-to-person contact, including via coughs. That’s why health officials urge sick individuals to avoid contact with other people.
For more information, visit the website for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
What are the symptoms?
Symptoms are similar to the flu and include fever, coughing and shortness of breath.
How can I stop the spread of the coronavirus?
Wash your hands regularly with soap and water, and cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze.
If you develop symptoms similar to the coronavirus, you should seek medical attention. Stay home from work or school and avoid contact with others. It can take up to 14 days after coming into contact with the virus to develop symptoms.
COVID-19 is a new condition and there’s much about the disease we still don’t understand. For now, taking precautions is the best way to stop the spread of the coronavirus.