Staff members and inmates at the correctional institutions will have access to faster COVID-19 test results following this morning’s handover of more than 500 COVID-19 self-test kits to the Department of Correctional Services from the Ministry of National Security.

The kits, valued at more than $600,000, were received through a partnership with the Ministry of Health and Wellness in response to the recent spike in COVID-19 cases in our institutions.

The kits were presented by State Minster in the Ministry of National Security to the Department in a brief ceremony at the Tower Street Adult Correctional Centre.

Minister Mayne stated that the “

The Department of Correctional Services currently has 119 positive cases: 94 cases among its inmate population and 25 cases among staff members. These include: two staff from Head Office; three inmates and two staff members from Horizon Adult Remand Centre; two wards from Rio Cobre Juvenile Correctional Centre; 69 inmates and 5 staff members from Tower Street Adult Correctional Centre; two inmates and seven staff from South Camp Adult Correctional Centre; three staff from St Catherine Adult Correctional Centre; one staff from Metcalfe Street Secure Juvenile Remand Centre; one staff from Tamarind Farm Adult Correctional Centre; one staff from Carl Rattray Staff College; one staff member from the New Broughton Sunset Adult Correctional Centre.