Another 100 Florida prison inmates test positive for COVID-19
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - With a major increase in cases at Homestead Correctional Institution, another 100 state prison inmates have tested positive for COVID-19, the Florida Department of Corrections said Thursday.
The 100 new cases brought the number of infected inmates to 943, with the cases primarily concentrated in nine prisons throughout the state. Also, the department reported Thursday that an additional 17 corrections workers have tested positive, bringing the employee total to 225.
Most of the increase in inmate infections came at Homestead Correctional Institution, which had 166 cases Thursday, up from 80 in a Wednesday count, according to the department.
The other prisons with large number of inmate cases are Liberty Correctional Institution, with 191 cases; Tomoka Correctional Institution, with 132 cases; Hamilton Correctional Institution, with 112 cases; Sumter Correctional Institution, with 102 cases; Apalachee Correctional Institution, with 72 cases; South Bay Correctional Facility, with 66 cases; Blackwater Correctional Facility, with 57 cases; and Columbia Correctional Institution, with 25 cases.
The department announced Monday that it was taking a series of steps to try to address COVID-19 at Homestead Correctional Institution, including offering testing to all staff members and requiring staff and inmates to wear face coverings.
The report Thursday said 14 Homestead Correctional Institution employees have tested positive. Nine inmates have died of COVID-19 statewide, a number that was unchanged Thursday.
The News Service of Florida contributed to this report.