The Indiana Department of Correction says it’ll screen all offenders passing through its intake facility for COVID-19. IDOC Chief Medical Officer Dr. Kristen Dauss announced the expanded testing effort during Wednesday’s COVID-19 press conference.
“So whether they come from the county jail or from the street as a parole violator or someone like that, we are testing all of them,” Dauss said, “and I am just setting it out there that we probably will see those numbers increase.”
The Reception Diagnostic Center is one of three correctional facilities in the Plainfield area, and all of them have had a significant number of offenders test positive. That led to a big spike in Hendricks County’s COVID-19 cases, with 99 new cases reported Wednesday. State Health Commissioner Dr. Kris Box said about 68 of those were from the prison system.
The Westville Correctional facility has still had the most positive cases at 166 offenders and 66 staff members, as of Wednesday. 207 Westville staff members have been tested, according to the Department of Correction website, compared to just 198 offenders. Most of those infected have reportedly recovered, but three offenders there have died.
