Number of coronavirus cases among Department of Corrections employees increases to 10
The number of S.C. Department of Corrections employees who have tested positive for coronavirus has increased to 10, records show.
As of Saturday, March 28 the number of positive tests was two.
Five of those employees were directly assigned to a prison and the other five are considered “non-institutional staff,” which means they could have been administrative staff, maintenance workers, human resources employees or other department employees who may not necessarily come into contact with inmates, spokeswoman Chrysti Shain said.
Two staff members at Camille Graham Correctional Institution and Broad River Correctional Institution — both are in Columbia — tested positive for coronavirus, and one employee at Turbeville Correctional Institution, which is in Clarendon County, tested positive, records show.
The department has also tested seven inmates. Five of those tests came back negative and two others are pending, Shain said. No inmates have tested positive, according to the department’s website.
Inmates have not yet been quarantined from one another, but visitors and volunteers have been barred from S.C. prisons to lessen the chance of someone bringing in coronavirus.
In response to the pandemic, inmates have been cleaning living areas every two hours, Shain said.
“Nobody wants to get sick,” Shain said.
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.