ALL CASES AT THE FACILITY OCCURRED IN DECEMBER
WIDESPREAD TESTIING DID NOT BEGIN THERE TILL NOVEMBER 9
WOODBOURNE. .On December 15th, Woodbourne Correctional Facility had 32 confirmed cases of Covid-19 among inmates.
In nine days, that number (total number since pandemic began) jumped to 142. Fifty one more inmates are awaiting test results and 48 inmates are listed as recovered.
Testing of all prisoners did not begin until November 9, as reported exclusively by The SullivanTimes. From March through November, Woodbourne showed zero cases and now we know that's likely because little testing was conducted prior to November 9.
In addition, a source told The SullivanTimes earlier this month that three corrections officers there were positive and were out sick.
While the Department of Corrections & Community Supervision reports the number of inmates who test positive by facility, it does not release data by facility regarding positive test results of corrections officers or staff. That issue is the subject of a lawsuit filed earlier this month by the Legal Aid Society, which has argued that the agency can release that info without identifying anyone by name and/or risking their safety.
Note: The SullivanTimes has covered this growing crisis extensively this month. Read our past stories at www.sullivantimes.com. Two of those article links (one an editorial podcast) are posted in the comments below.