New numbers from the Illinois Department of Corrections show the COVID-19 coronavirus continues to impact prisons around the state. At the Danville Correctional Center 51 staff members and 463 inmates currently have the virus (as of Sunday night). Since early this year 119 staff members have been confirmed with COVID-19 at the Danville Correctional Center. 68 of those have recovered.
A total of 535 inmates at the Danville prison have tested positive for the illness this year, and 72 of those have recovered.
In addition to the Danville Correctional Center, COVID-19 cases are also being closely monitored at some other Illinois prisons.
At Taylorville, 79 staff members and 442 inmates have been confirmed in tests this year to have the virus. 366 inmates and 77 of the staff members have recovered. And at the Lawrence Correctional Center near Sumner, 166 staff members and 647 offenders have tested positive for coronavirus. 132 of the staff members and all but 279 of the Lawrence inmates have recovered.
IDOC says it has been taking aggressive steps to protect staff and men and women in custody. All staff are routinely tested and the frequency of testing is determined by the Office of Health Services based on the positivity rate of the county in which a prison is located. IDOC said earlier this month that when the Office of Health Services identifies an outbreak at a facility, all staff and individuals in custody at that facility will be tested approximately every three days until no new cases are identified for 14 days.
