The infected in the outbreak of COVID-19 in correctional institution of Bayamón increase to 167

The outbreak of COVID-19 reported last week in Bayamón 501 prison increased to 167 infections with 24 new positive cases, confirmed this Sunday the designated secretary of the Department of Correction and Rehabilitation (DCR), Ana Escobar Pabón.

The official also indicated that last night culminated a process of vaccination in advance in the said correctional institution, as part of the agency’s strategy together with the Department of Health to curb the outbreak and prevent future infections, with a total of 416 inmates vaccinated against COVID-19, including those diagnosed with the virus.

“Everyone got the vaccine, except the two who are hospitalized. There is a medical opinion that was requested through Health at the CDC. The answer was yes, they can be vaccinated,” he said. assured Escobar.

“Twenty-six (confined) refused to receive the vaccine. Through our health educators we are leading the campaign to the effect that they understand the importance of being vaccinated.”, He argued.

Until noon, of the total number of positive cases through diagnostic testing, two inmates remained hospitalized. “One is in frank improvement and the other continues with a rather reserved picture,” the secretary expressed. These two inmates did not receive the vaccine. An additional confinement showed acute symptoms, so it is under surveillance at the Correctional Medical Center, while the rest of the positive cases remain asymptomatic.

Escobar also reported that among the positive cases, an individual served his sentence, so he was released, but because he is a homeless person and diagnosed with coronavirus, he moved to a organization that would continue in charge of the corresponding care.

“The agency made the appropriate arrangements with an entity in Humacao, an organization that receives homeless patients, so that it can receive medical treatments to protect their health,” he said.

Prison inmates and staff are part of subphase 1-b vaccination – the start is scheduled for mid-January – but given the outbreak situation, Health determined to advance a number of vaccine doses to Bayamón 501 The secretary argued that tomorrow, Monday, the vaccination of about 540 employees of the correctional institution, including civilians and correctional guards, should be completed.

The DCR asked Health for about 6,000 vaccines to cover staff throughout the correctional system. Escobar reported that, once the vaccination phase has begun, the process will continue in the country’s prisons as the agency receives doses from the National Guard.

Correction projects that the staff of the Les Culleres Correctional Complex in Ponce will be vaccinated this week. Escobar said that the staff of the different prisons will inform him of the vaccination dates, as well as the vaccination dates of the confined population.

Positive in employees

The agency also confirmed that there is a case of a kitchen worker who tested positive for COVID -19 at the Villalba Social Treatment Center, one of two facilities it receives for minor offenders.

“The employee was in contact with four offenders, who were isolated and subjected to molecular tests and were negative,” sustain the agency in subsequent written statements.

Also, at the Guadero Correctional Center in Aguadilla, two employees tested positive recently. “All employees were tested and all tested negative to molecular testing,” the DRC stated. So far, all those confined to Guerrero have thrown negative on the coronavirus.