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This page offers all of Delaware Public Media's ongoing coverage of the COVID-19 outbreak and how it is affecting the First State. Check here regularly for the latest new and information.

Dept. of Correction reports few new COVID-19 cases

Delaware Public Media

Delaware’s Department of Correction says a handful of inmates and correctional officers have recently testing positive for COVID-19.

The majority of new cases are at Vaughn Correctional Center where 7 inmates and one officer have tested positive.  All of the inmates are recovering at DOC’s COVID-19 treatment center at Vaughn.  The officer is asymptomatic and self-isolating at home. 

The only other new case involves an officer at Howard R. Young Correctional Institution.  That officer is also asymptomatic and self-isolating at home. 

“Currently, there are just 9 inmates who have tested positive for COVID-19 and are symptomatic. 7 are recovering in the COVID Treatment Center at James T. Vaughn Correctional Center and 2 remain at an area hospital," said  DOC Commissioner Claire DeMatteis in a statement"No inmates from any other correctional facility currently have symptoms of the virus. We continue to contain this disease to just one prison in our state, with the other 8 facilities COVID-free."
In all, 146 inmates have tested positive to date – with the majority of the cases -126 - coming at Vaughn.  Six inmates have died. 117 have recovered, including 71 in the past 10 days.

83 correctional officers, staff and contract workers have tested positive overall – with 38 recovered.

Tom Byrne has been a fixture covering news in Delaware for three decades. He joined Delaware Public Media in 2010 as our first news director and has guided the news team ever since. When he's not covering the news, he can be found reading history or pursuing his love of all things athletic.