RALEIGH, N.C. -- The North Carolina Department of Public Safety announced Thursday all offenders in the state prison system have been tested for COVID-19.
Officials say 29,062 offenders were checked during the six week mass testing operation, and 619 were positive. That is 2.1 percent of the state's prison population, which officials say is much lower than prison systems in other states.
Other states conducting mass testing operations released their positive case totals on Thursday with the following results:
- New Jersey – 16.3 percent
- Tennessee – 13.6 percent
- Michigan --10.8 percent
- Texas -- 9.8 percent
“Our staff have worked tirelessly to prevent the virus from getting into our prisons, to contain it when it does get into a facility and to reduce its spread to other prisons,” Commissioner of Prisons Todd Ishee said in a release. “These numbers confirm their hard work is paying off and reflect our ongoing commitment to the safety of all North Carolina prisons.”
NCDPS says the tests were administered by Prisons Health Services staff and the North Carolina National Guard. Tests were then analyzed by LabCorp.
In addition to the more than 29,000 offenders tested during the operation that began on June 22, another 1,600 were tested during their transfer from county jails to prisons over the past two months.
According to a release, another 600 offenders had previously tested positive and recovered. These offenders did not need retesting, NCDPS says, under the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services guidance.
In accordance to CDC and NCDHHS guidelines, any offenders who tested positive were placed in medical isolation. Additionally, any offenders housed in the same units where others tested positive were placed under medical quarantine for close observation and twice daily temperature checks.
“Our top priority is everyone’s health and safety, and I mean everyone,” Ishee said. “I am proud of our prison staff who have worked so hard to combat this virus for so long, because of their deep sense of duty to protect the public. They are unsung heroes and can never be thanked enough for their selfless service.”
NCDPS says it will continue to test all new offenders for COVID-19 when they arrive at prison diagnostic facilities from the county jails. They will be placed in quarantine upon their arrival and remain there until test results are received.
All offenders transfered within the state prison system will also be tested prior to transfer or quarantined for 14 days upon their arrival at the new facility.