HONOLULU (AP) — The Hawaii Department of Public Safety announced Friday that a new inmate at the Oahu Community Correction Center tested positive for COVID-19 earlier this week, raising concerns about the safety of others crowded in jails and prisons statewide.
HONOLULU (AP) — The Hawaii Department of Public Safety announced Friday that a new inmate at the Oahu Community Correction Center tested positive for COVID-19 earlier this week, raising concerns about the safety of others crowded in jails and prisons statewide.
The inmate, who remained unidentified, was brought to the facility Monday and was tested Tuesday after officials learned of a possible exposure prior to entering the facility.
The inmate is believed to be the first inmate at a Hawaii jail or prison to have tested positive.
“The facility acted quickly to implement the department’s COVID-19 pandemic protocol for correctional facilities, in an effort to mitigate any potential spread of the virus,” Department Director Nolan Espinda said.
The Oahu Community Correction Center is currently housing 938 inmates. The facility’s design capacity is 628, and its operational capacity is 954.
Department officials also reported Friday that four correctional officers tested positive, including one from Oahu Community Correction Center, one from Halawa Correctional Facility and two from Waiawa Correctional Facility.
The state public defender’s office for months was fighting for early releases of inmates on probation with jail time and pretrial inmates and some felons nearing the end of their sentences and were susceptible to the coronavirus. The office petitioned to the Hawaii Supreme Court for the early releases, which led to more than 1,000 motions through expedited court review.
The number of infections is thought to be far higher because many people have not been tested, and studies suggest people can be infected with the virus without feeling sick.
