4 more inmates at Centre County Correctional Facility test positive for COVID-19

Four more inmates at the Centre County Correctional Facility have tested positive for the coronavirus, Warden Christopher Schell announced Wednesday evening.

That makes six cases of COVID-19 within the Benner Township facility since April 19 — all in inmates who were in the same housing unit, according to a press release. As of Wednesday, 13 inmates have been tested for COVID-19 and seven tested negative.

Five correctional officers were also tested and all had negative results.

The four inmates who tested positive on Monday were already quarantined prior to exhibiting symptoms and will remain in quarantine for 14 days, according to the press release. Hospitalization has so far not been necessary for those four inmates.

Since March, the jail has had measures in place to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, including increased disinfection sweeps and a suspension of all visits to the jail.

“All measures to protect the health and safety of our staff and incarcerated individuals continue with additional efforts to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 within our facility,” Schell said in the release.

Those measures also include early release for vulnerable inmates who do not pose a public safety risk. The jail’s population has decreased by 88 inmates since March 22, according to Schell. As of Monday, 148 people were incarcerated at the facility.

Beginning Friday, updates about testing and results will be provided daily on the Centre County Correctional Facility’s COVID-19 webpage.