More SC prison workers in Columbia test positive for coronavirus, officials say
As cases of the coronavirus continue to spread, more employees at a prison in Columbia tested positive for COVID-19, the South Carolina Department of Corrections said Monday.
Three new cases of coronavirus were reported by staff members working at the Broad River Correctional Institution, according to SCDC. The new cases means five employees at Broad River are confirmed to have tested positive for COVID-19.
Overall, there are 19 confirmed cases of SCDC employees who have the coronavirus at 21 facilities across the state, officials said Monday. That includes eight non-institutional staff members who have tested positive for COVID-19. Approximately 5,000 people work at Corrections.
There are no cases of inmates with coronavirus at the correctional institutions, SCDC officials reported. There are 17,828 inmates in the state.
Inmates have not been quarantined from one another, but visitors and volunteers have been barred from South Carolina prisons to help reduce the spread of the virus.
Additionally, inmates have been cleaning living areas every two hours, SCDC spokeswoman Chrysti Shain told The State Friday.
On Sunday, Shain said investigations are being conducted, with guidance from the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC), to determine close contacts of a person who tests positive. Anyone who had close contact with a coronavirus patient will be notified, and based on their level of contact, will either self-monitor or quarantine, Shain said.
Because of medical protection laws, Shain could not say if the SCDC employees who tested positive for COVID-19 are hospitalized.
“Employees who test positive are following DHEC guidelines for isolation and treatment,” Shain told The State.
Broad River, which is a men’s-only, high-security institution, is not the only prison in Columbia where employees have tested positive for COVID-19.
Two staff members at Camille Graham Correctional Institution have also tested positive for the coronavirus. That is a women’s-only, medium-security prison also in the Broad River Road complex.
Since early March, DHEC reported 298 positive COVID-19 tests in Richland County, most of any county in South Carolina. Six people have died after testing positive in Richland County, the most coronavirus-related deaths of anywhere in the state, according to DHEC.
In addition to the seven employees who have self-reported coronavirus tests at the Columbia prisons, one staff member each at Turbeville Correctional Institution (Clarendon County), Lee Correctional Institution (Lee County), Livesay Correctional Institution (Spartanburg County), and Wateree River Correctional Institution (Sumter County) have been diagnosed with COVID-19, SCDC reported.
Any SCDC employees who recover from the coronavirus must have a documented recovery based on DHEC guidelines before returning to work, Shain said.
One employee at South Carolina’s Department of Juvenile Justice, and one other at the Department of Mental Health, have also tested positive for the coronavirus, The State reported.
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.
On Sunday, 132 new cases of the coronavirus were reported in South Carolina, bringing the statewide total to 2,049 confirmed COVID-19 cases in all 46 counties, according to DHEC.
DHEC also announced that four more people died after testing positive for the coronavirus, raising that total to 44 in a month. State health officials described 42 of the people as elderly, two patients were middle-aged, and all but four had underlying medical conditions.
There have been 18,976 combined negative tests at DHEC’s public health laboratory and at private labs.
Symptoms of coronavirus can include a fever, coughing, and difficulty breathing, according to the CDC. Among the emergency warning signs of COVID-19 is trouble breathing, persistent pain or pressure in the chest, and blueish lips or face, the CDC said.
The best way to prevent infection is to frequently wash hands for 20 seconds; avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth; avoid contact with sick people and clean frequently touched objects with a cleaning spray or wipe, according to the CDC. DHEC also recommends covering your cough, staying home when sick, and disposing tissues and other items that you’ve sneezed or coughed into.
Free online screenings also can be accessed by all South Carolina residents, by going to scdhec.gov/COVID19.
Prisma Health is also offering free access to medical professionals for those who think they may have coronavirus, The State reported. People experiencing COVID-19 symptoms can go to https://www.prismahealth.org/virtual-visit/ and schedule a free online visit, Prisma officials said.
As of Monday morning, 1,280,046 people worldwide have been diagnosed with coronavirus and 70,356 people have died, while 270,098 recovered, according to Johns Hopkins University. The United States leads the world with 337,933 people who have been diagnosed with the novel virus. In the U.S. 9,653 deaths have been reported, including 3,048 in New York City, according to Johns Hopkins.
This story was originally published April 5, 2020 at 9:24 AM.
