COVID-19 outbreak at Vermont prison spreading

WATERBURY, Vt. (AP) — A coronavirus outbreak at a Vermont prison is growing, according to the state Department of Corrections.

Nine new cases of COVID-19 were detected at the Northern State Correctional Facility in Newport during testing conducted on Thursday, the agency said in a statement. Six of the new cases were among inmates and three were among staff.

There are now a total of 27 active cases at the facility, 20 among prisoners and seven among staff. The facility has about 380 inmates, according to the latest department data.

The facility remains on full lockdown and contact tracing on the new positives is underway, the agency said. Additional testing is being scheduled in partnership with the Vermont Department of Health.

There are five confirmed coronavirus cases at the Northeast Correctional Complex in St. Johnsbury, three among inmates and two among staff. The facility has about 150 detainees, according to the agency’s latest data.

The outbreak at the St. Johnsbury facility had been worse, but 19 inmates and four staff members who had COVID-19 have been medically cleared, the department said.

Statewide, there are currently 26 positive cases among inmates and 12 positive staff cases across four prisons, the agency said.