Delaware’s Department of Correction announced additional cases of COVID-19 among inmates and correctional officers Friday.
8 more inmates statewide have tested positive for COVID-19. Six were housed at minimum and medium security buildings at Vaughn Correctional Center. Two were at Howard R. Young Correctional Institution. 7 of the 8 inmates are now in the COVID-19 treatment center at Vaughn, One is being treated at an area hospital.
DOC says 11 additional correctional officers statewide have also tested positive – 8 at Howard Young and 3 at Vaughn. All of those officers are self-isolating at home.
In all, 135 inmates have tested postive to date with three deaths. 44 have recovered.
70 correctional officers, staff and contract workers have tested positive overall. 12 have recovered.
DOC says it has also upgraded wiring in its COVID-19 treatment center at Vaughn this week to support the use of electronic tablets. The tablets supplement phone access by giving inmates being treated for COVID-19 the ability to have video visits with loved ones and access video entertainment and educational programming.
"All inmates in the treatment center, infirmary or area hospital are receiving round-the-clock monitoring and care. We also have taken steps to make them comfortable and keep them connected to loved ones, including through the use of hand-held tablets," said Commissioner Claire DeMatteis in a statement. "We will continue our rigorous efforts to screen, clean, test, isolate, treat and trace to prevent widespread contamination of the coronavirus."
