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Young Correctional Institution continues to cope with flu outbreak

Delaware Public Media

There are now at least 18 confirmed cases of flu at Delaware's lower-security men's prison.

The outbreak at Howard R. Young Correctional Institution in northeast Wilmington began last week -- and the number of lab-confirmed specimens jumped up over the weekend.

The prison, also known as Gander Hill, holds around 1,500 offenders. Along with the 18 confirmed cases, the Department of Corrections reported that six more were being tested as of late Sunday.

Still, DOC officials are hoping to resume a normal court schedule Monday. The prison was relying on videoconferencing last week.

They're still keeping some precautions in place, including diverting all new inmates to James T. Vaughn Correctional Center in Smyrna. Visits, volunteer shifts and programs at Howard R. Young are also still canceled, and inmates' movements inside the prison are still limited.

Officials say they're also offering voluntary flu screenings for prison staff. And they're educating inmates on why it's important to "accept" a flu vaccine.

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