Dozens more COVID-19 cases confirmed among inmates at the California Men’s Colony brings the outbreak at the San Luis Obispo facility to the largest currently among California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) facilities.
As of Thursday morning, CDCR reports there are 183 active cases among CMC inmates with 181 of those inmates currently behind bars.
The numbers are up by more than 50 from the day prior.
The cases at CMC account for more than 17 percent of the 1,023 active inmate cases for CDCR statewide.
Earlier this week, the San Luis Obispo County Public Health Department said health officials were working closely with CMC’s leadership team to manage the recent outbreak.
CMC officials issued the following statement to KSBY on Thursday:
“The California Men’s Colony (CMC) continues to work closely with the San Luis Obispo County Public Health Department in regards to the continuous testing of CMC’s incarcerated population. CMC is making a proactive and non-stop effort to locate and treat incarcerated persons who are infected with COVID-19. Fewer than ten inmates are hospitalized as a result of COVID-19 infection.
CMC is following all guidelines from CDCR, California Correctional Health Care Services and the Centers for Disease Control for cleaning and sanitizing all work spaces and incarcerated population living areas.
Everyone who lives and works at CMC has been issued cloth barrier masks; wearing them is mandatory. Any person entering the prison undergoes temperature and verbal screening for symptoms daily.
CMC is strictly enforcing physical distancing guidelines as approved by the court-appointed Federal Receiver. Programs have been modified to allow for phased use of dayrooms and dining schedules are staggered with areas cleaned after each use.”
The health department on Monday said about 140 CMC staff had been tested so far. According to CDCR, 15 cases have been confirmed, with a majority of them being attributed to the recent outbreak.
Public health says the state prison is “successfully isolating and quarantining inmates with symptoms or who have tested positive and is providing the necessary care to help slow the spread.”