April
24, 2020
Quarantined
correctional officer tests positive for COVID-19
W.Va.
health officials say officer’s actions prevented further impact
CHARLESTON,
W.Va. – A South Central Regional Jail correctional officer who
self-quarantined on April 15 tested positive for COVID-19 on Thursday, the only
such case among any W.Va. Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation staff or
inmates.
The officer, who remains in good condition,
had been wearing a mask throughout his shifts since March 27. He has
quarantined himself at home since April 15 when his wife, who works at a
long-term care facility, alerted him that she may have been exposed to the
virus. She, too, has tested positive but is also recovering and in good
condition.
The Bureau for Public Health at the W.Va.
Department of Health and Human Resources, which is leading the state’s response
to the COVID-19 pandemic, has concluded that no further action at the facility
is required as a result of the officer’s responsible actions.
South Central and the rest of the state’s
correctional facilities continue to follow the COVID-19 response plan developed
by DCR. This policy embraces the latest information and best practices to provide
the necessary guidance and direction to ensure superintendents, other
administrators and staff can make the best decisions for the health and safety
of everyone in their facilities. The public version of the policy is available
on the “Correctional Facilities” section of West Virginia’s website for its
COVID-19 response, coronavirus.wv.gov.
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