WOODBOURNE - An additional 42 inmates have now been confirmed with Covid-19 at the Woodbourne Correctional Facility since Christmas Eve, according to data released by the New York State Department of Corrections a few minutes ago.

That brings the total number of inmates who tested positive to 184, with another 49 tests pending as of today.

A memo published by The SullivanTimes this morning showed renewed concern about coronavirus by the Department of Corrections for inmates, staff and surrounding communities that led to a statewide shutdown of visitations to prisons that begins in 24 hours.

The prison only began widespread testing of inmates on November 9, as reported exclusively by The SullivanTimes. There were zero cases recorded by the facility from March through November before cases began piling up in the first two weeks of this month, then rising sharply since December 15, when there were 32 cases.

The latest figures represent a positivity rate among inmates of 21 percent, with 875 tested. One inmate also died from Covid earlier this month.