A COVID-19 outbreak at Maplehurst Correctional Complex in Milton has resulted in at least 90 positive cases and the union that represents workers at the jail is now calling for a pause on the admission of new inmates.
Inmates temporarily transferred to Toronto to manage COVID-19 jail outbreak
Several temporary measures have been put in place at the Thunder Bay jail and correctional centre to help reduce the current number of active COVID-19 cases.
Thunder Bay District Jail (Cory Nordstrom/TBT news)
THUNDER BAY A number of inmates from the Thunder Bay jail have been temporarily transferred to a Toronto detention centre in an effort to manage the current number of active COVID-19 cases at the facility.
On Friday, Jan. 22, a spokesperson with the ministry of the solicitor general confirmed the Thunder bay jail currently has 12 active inmate COVID-19 cases and six COVID-19 positive cases among staff.
KINGSTON, ONT. Advocates are calling for better protections and COVID-19 precautions in Canada’s prisons. This comes following a series of outbreaks in Ontario institutions, including in the Joyceville Institution in Kingston, and one at the Toronto South Detention Centre (TSDC). The Toronto Prisoners’ Rights Project held a press conference outside the TSDC Monday morning alongside a number of advocacy groups, calling on the federal and provincial government to make reforms. They say they’ve heard from friends and inmates that there are a number of COVID-19 safety deficiencies at Joyceville including: Not enough inmates have N95 medical grade masks
Fast Facts: The Ontario government has announced a 28-day lockdown for the southern parts of the province, including Ottawa, starting on Boxing Day. Mayor Jim Watson says he does not support a four-week lockdown in Ottawa. Ottawa s COVID-19 case numbers are holding steady. Advocates are calling for better protections for prison inmates after a large outbreak at a Kingston jail.
COVID-19 by the numbers in Ottawa:
New cases: 31 new cases on Monday
Total COVID-19 cases: 9,384
COVID-19 cases per 100,000 (previous seven days): 27.0
Positivity rate in Ottawa: 1.4 per cent (Dec 11-17)
Reproduction Number: 1.06 (seven day average)
Testing: Ottawa Public Health says there are four reasons to seek testing for COVID-19:
Posted: Dec 19, 2020 7:12 PM ET | Last Updated: December 20, 2020
The Toronto South Detention Centre says 54 inmates at the jail have tested positive for the novel coronavirus.(Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press)
The Toronto South Detention Centre is trying to bring a COVID-19 outbreak under control after 54 inmates have tested positive for the novel coronavirus.
Ontario s ministry of the solicitor general said in an email on Saturday that the inmates have been isolated from other prisoners while they receive medical care and they are under droplet precautions.
Toronto Public Health is working with the jail to trace contacts of those infected. The ministry says voluntary testing is underway for correctional staff and inmates in the units where the infections appeared.