COVID-19: Thirteen inmates test positive at B.C. medium-security prison

Thirteen inmates at a federal prison in British Columbia have tested positive for COVID-19, the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) said Friday.

In a media release, corrections officials said the cases at the medium-security Mission Institution had been detected through a combination of PCR and rapid testing.

“The number may change as more testing is conducted and laboratory-confirmed results are available,” states the release.

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The prion has suspended in-person visits to units LU1 and LU6, but visits to other units were unaffected.

The CSC said prison officials were “closely monitoring the situation,” and had implemented controls to minimize the spread of the virus.

It said it had supplied staff and inmates with personal protective equipment, including masks, and had boosted cleaning and disinfecting procedures.

Corrections officials have also been offering vaccines to inmates since January 2021, and prisoners also have access to booster shots, the CSC said.

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