Five guards at Mission prison positive for COVID-19
Posted April 12, 2020 4:38 pm.
Last Updated April 12, 2020 7:53 pm.
MISSION (NEWS 1130) — Another prison guard at the federal institution in Mission has tested positive for COVID-19, according to figures released Easter Sunday by the union representing them.
That brings to the total number of guards there who have contracted the novel coronavirus to five, in addition to 35 inmates.
The latter is more than at any other federal prison in Canada.
Ten of the 35 inmates tested positive earlier Sunday. Another 13 inmate tests are pending, while six have come back negative, according to Correctional Service Canada.
A big jump in #COVID19 cases at Mission Institution.
35 inmates have now tested positive at the prison (up from 25 yesterday) plus the one case at Pacific Regional who was originally at Mission.
16% of inmates at the prison (which has capacity of 216) now have the virus. pic.twitter.com/ixvfPqtPX6
— Monika Gul (@MonikaGul) April 12, 2020
At Pacific Regional Treatment Centre, another federal prison in Abbotsford, one inmate has contracted COVID-19, with five tested negative.
The Joliette Institution for Women in Quebec has had the second most positive tests among inmates, with 17,
Thirty-eight correctional officers from the same institution have also tested positive for COVID-19, according to an email from Samuel Courtemanche, with Union of Canadian Correctional Officers..
Another 18 correctional officers from the Port-Cartier Institution in Quebec have also tested positive, as have three at two more prisons in Ontario.
Port-Cartier Institution has also had 10 inmates test positive, while eight have at the Grand Valley Institution for Women, also in Onatrio.
The Mission Institution, which has medium- and minimum-security facilities, is the only federal prison in B.C. where guards have been confirmed to have the virus.
The prison has a capacity of 216, and as of Sunday, 16 per cent of inmates at the prison now have the virus.
Earlier this week, an infectious disease doctor warned of an “explosive outbreak” at Mission Institution if more wasn’t done to contain the virus.
On Saturday, Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said five of the inmates were being hospitalized.
She added the province is working closely with federal counterparts to deal with a COVID-19 outbreak at the Mission federal prison.
Editor’s note: This story initially reported that nine inmates at Mission Institution had tested positive.
