2 South MS prisons rank highest for COVID-19 outbreaks, records show
As the number of the new coronavirus cases continue to climb during the “Thanksgiving surge,” two South Mississippi prisons have accounted for the largest number of inmate outbreaks to date.
Since the state health department reported the first case of COVID-19 in March, 1,288 prisoners have tested positive for the virus, with 257 of those prisoners still actively fighting the virus.
Of those, the largest outbreaks occurred at two South Mississippi facilities.
At the South Mississippi Correctional Institution in Leakesville, 376 inmates tested positive in late November and December. Of those, 164 still have active infections, according to the Mississippi Department of Corrections.
The George County Correctional Facility in Lucedale had the second largest coronavirus outbreak in prisoners, with 235 reported to date, though there are no active outbreaks there now. One of the inmates to test positive died of complications from the virus.
MDOC joined forces with the state department of health to ramp up rapid testing at both facilities after the initial outbreaks.
The George County outbreak surfaced in July and is believed to have been brought into the jail by an employee who was asymptomatic, George County Sheriff Keith Havard said.
At the Leakesville prison, SMCI Superintendent Andrew Mills said the virus appeared to have gotten into the facility by an inmate who had been in the prison’s infirmary.
“But it spread,” Mills said, “from an infirmary worker from maintenance personnel, canteen workers and a couple of corrections officers who showed no symptoms. It is hard to battle, something you cannot see.”
Coast cases
At the jails in Hancock and Jackson counties, no confirmed cases of COVID-19 have been reported, according to both sheriffs.
In Harrison County, Sheriff Troy Peterson said, 48 confirmed cases have been reported to date. Harrison County has the largest inmate population on the Coast with an average of 750 prisoners a day.
Harrison and Hancock County jails have a much lower average daily inmate populations, with around 190 to 195 in Hancock County and 350 to 400 in Jackson County.
COVID counts among MS inmates
Others COVID-19 totals for inmates at state correctional facilities are:
- Mississippi State Penitentiary at Parchman – 87 cases, 1 active
- Central Mississippi Correctional Facility in Pearl – 98 cases, 3 active
- East Central Correctional Facility in Meridian – 21 cases, 1 active
- Wilkinson County Correctional Facility in Woodville – 9 cases, 1 active
- Alcorn County Correctional Facility – 0 cases, 0 active
- Bolivar County Correctional Facility – 2 cases, 1 active
- Carroll-Montgomery County Correctional Facility – 118 cases, 0 active
- Chickasaw County Correctional Facility – 2 case, 0 active
- Holmes-Humphreys County Correctional Facility – 0 cases, 0 active
- Issaquena County Correctional Facility – 51 cases, 0 active
- Jefferson-Franklin County Correctional Facility – 0 cases, 0 active
- Kemper-Neshoba County Correctional Facility – 2 cases, 0 active
- Leake County Correctional Facility – 74 cases, 0 active
- Marion-Walthall County Correctional Facility – 15 cases, 0 active
- Stone County Correctional Facility - 8 cases, 0 active
- Washington County Correctional Facility - 2 cases, 0 active
- Winston-Choctaw County Correctional Facility - 18 cases, 0 active
- Yazoo County Correctional Facility - 26 cases, 0 active
- Delta Correctional Institute - 3 cases, 0 active
- Tallahatchie County Correctional Facility - 47 cases, 0 active
Safety measures taken to combat coronavirus
MDOC is taking additional measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus, including the following:
- Using electrostatic sanitizing sprayers to spray down all surfaces in buildings, cell blocks, kitchens and dining areas
- Installing industrial-grade ultraviolet sterilization lights
- Delaying family visitation
- Using portable UV sterilizers and hand wand UV sterilizers
- Installing air purifiers
- Purchasing and distributing masks
- Purchasing and installing walk-through sanitizing stations that spray a 75% alcohol-based solution on prisoners and staff.
This story was originally published December 15, 2020 at 5:50 AM.
