Dauphin County Prison to conduct second facility-wide testing for COVID-19 as more inmates and employees test positive for the virus

HARRISBURG, PA (June 23, 2020) – As more inmates and employees test positive for COVID-19 at Dauphin County Prison, the facility will conduct a second mass testing to identify and isolate positive cases to prevent further spread of the virus.

Currently, 27 inmates and 10 employees have tested positive for COVID-19. Of the 27 inmates, 8 are federal detainees. The most recent cases presented as symptomatic and asymptomatic. All 37 individuals are recovering from the virus. Two were hospitalized and released.

Inmates who tested positive were immediately placed in an isolation unit. Anyone who had contact with them were placed in quarantine units for close monitoring. 

Staff members who tested positive were immediately sent home to quarantine for 14 days.

Primecare Medical, which provides medical care and treatment in the prison, will soon begin testing inmates, employees and contracted employees – about 1,050 total - to prevent further spread of the virus.

On May 6 and 7, Dauphin County Prison conducted its first facility-wide test and confirmed 21 positive cases, all of whom were asymptomatic.

To protect staff and inmates, Dauphin County Prison began implementing its pandemic plan in March, taking temperatures of anyone who entered the facility, suspending in-person visitation and offering free video visitation, providing personal protective equipment to staff and inmates, and stepping up cleaning procedures in accordance with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s recommendations.

Additionally, inmate transfers to and from the prison have been suspended until further notice. The transfer suspension began on April 11 in response to the pandemic.

Dauphin County Prison will continue to provide updates to the community as the test results become available.