46 inmates at King County Correctional Facility test positive for coronavirus

The King County Correctional Facility (KCCF) is experiencing an outbreak of coronavirus, with 46 confirmed positive cases among inmates. 

According to the communications specialist with the Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention (DAJD), much of the outbreak occurred since the past weekend where 19 cases were detected on March 22 alone. 

Workers in corrections, prisons, jails and detention centers were eligible to get the vaccine on March 22, but that did not apply to prisoners. 

Prisoners will be eligible to get the vaccine on March 31. 

In April 2020, hundreds of inmates were released to slow the spread of coronavirus. Prisons, like long-term care facilities, saw outbreaks early on in the pandemic.

RELATED: ‘They deserve to live:’ Increasing infections worry advocates, families of DOC inmates

Jail Health Services is working to administer COVID-19 tests to all KCCF inmates this week

DADJ is working to bring in a contractor this week to do an enhanced cleaning of the King County Correctional Facility, in addition to the regular cleaning that’s taking place throughout the pandemic.

DADJ also said they will be giving most people in custody surgical masks starting this week, with limited exceptions for safety and security. 

Jail Health Services is preparing vaccination clinics for inmates with a tentative go-live date of April 6.  

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