A COVID-19 outbreak at the California Men’s Colony is now the largest among the California Department of Corrections' more than 30 facilities.
As of Tuesday morning, there were 1,051 active cases with 1,017 of those being confirmed in the last two weeks.
The current active cases account for about 53 percent of the total number of cases at the San Luis Obispo institution since the start of the pandemic.
CMC says they continue taking steps to help mitigate the spread of the virus.
Staff are now required to get tested for COVID-19 twice a week. CMC says the staff positivity rate is currently 7 percent. There are currently 178 active cases reported among staff.
All inmates are also being tested and contact tracing, isolation and quarantine measures are in place.
“For patients in isolation or quarantine, medical staff conduct rounds daily on each shift checking temperatures, vitals and providing medication as needed. If medical staff determines they need a higher level of care, patients are transported to an outside hospital. As of Friday, Jan. 8, CMC has less than ten patients receiving any form of health care treatment at an outside medical facility,” CMC told KSBY News.
CMC says staff and inmates are required to wear face coverings and inmates are told to practice social distancing at all times.
Temperature checks are also conducted on staff entering the facility and verbal screenings done.
Other activities have also been limited.