The Chillicothe Correctional Center’s visitation has been suspended until further notice due to positive cases of COVID-19. Missouri Department of Corrections Communications Director Karen Pojmann confirms there are three cases among staff and four among residents.
She says mass testing was conducted at the Chillicothe Correctional Center in June, and everyone tested negative at that time. The facility opened to limited visiting in late June for the first time since March 13th. Visitation was suspended following a report of a positive case on July 1st.
Pojmann notes contact tracing and more testing is being done at the facility. Staff members who have contact with anyone who tested positive are sent home to quarantine. Staff members who test positive cannot return until they test negative twice.
Offenders who test positive are placed in an isolation unit and are there until they test negative twice. Offenders are staying with residents of their own housing units and not interacting with those from other housing units.
Pojmann also confirms there is one positive case of COVID-19 among staff and one among offenders at the Western Missouri Correctional Center of Cameron. Mass testing is still being conducted there, and visiting is suspended.
Pojmann explains mass testing is done at about two Department of Corrections facilities each week. Nearly all of the positive results at the facilities involved asymptomatic individuals.
