Two additional Hawaii Community Correctional Center staff tested positive for COVID-19, the Department of Public Safety announced Wednesday. However, no new positive cases cropped up among inmates.
With Tuesday’s cases, the total number of staffers infected at the Hilo jail hit 11 while the number of inmates who have tested positive held at 77.
Two positive cases were first reported at the Hilo jail on May 24 prompting the facility to implement its pandemic protocol status, which calls for a facility-wide quarantine of all inmate housing and suspending inmate movement going out of the facility.
Ongoing testing is being implemented by HCCC health care staff with assistance from the DOH and Hawaii National Guard.
As of the most recent bi-monthly population report issued Monday, Hawaii Community Correctional Center reported housing 348 inmates, which exceeds operational capacity by 122 persons. On April 5, the jail reported housing 298 inmates, which exceeded operational capacity by 72 persons.
The enactment of the facility’s pandemic protocol came less than a month after the facility emerged April 26 from quarantine prompted by two positive tests among staff.