Three rounds of testing return new staff, incarcerated positives at Northern State Correctional Facility
Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Corrections detected 11 new cases of COVID-19 at Northern State Correctional Facility (NSCF) in Newport during three rounds of recent outbreak testing. The testing, which occurred on December 3, 7, and 10, identified three cases among staff and eight cases in the incarcerated population.
Currently at NSCF, there are three active incarcerated cases and three active staff cases. Statewide, five positive incarcerated cases and 16 positive staff cases currently exist across six correctional facilities, one field office, and Central Office.
A total of 48 incarcerated individuals and 17 staff have tested positive for COVID-19 in the NSCF outbreak, which began on November 10. Since then, testing and medical evaluations have cleared 45 individuals and 14 staff of the virus. The facility remains on full lockdown. Further testing dates are being scheduled in partnership with the Vermont Department of Health (VDH).
On Tuesday, intake quarantine testing detected a new positive individual at Northwest State Correctional Facility (NWSCF) in St. Albans. Vermont’s unified system – in which detainees and sentenced individuals are housed in the same facilities – necessitates protocol that new entries from the community be cleared of COVID-19 prior to entering general population.
“While the existence of any COVID-19 case is always troubling, the fact that Vermont DOC is detecting cases on intake demonstrates the success of our ‘test to suppress’ model,” said Commissioner Nicholas Deml. “This effort shows how we’ve operationalized our commitment to protect our staff and those in our care, and it complements the State of Vermont’s broader strategy to test exhaustively so we understand best how this virus is impacting our communities and can work effectively to combat the pandemic.”
| Incarcerated Individuals Total COVID Tracking by Facility, Accurate as of 2pm: |
12/13/2021 | |||
| Facility | # Currently Positive | Unique Positive Cases | COVID-Related Deaths | Most Recent Positive Case |
| CRCF | 0 | 9 | 0 | 10/23/2021 |
| MVRCF | 0 | 11 | 0 | 10/14/2021 |
| NECC | 0 | 33 | 0 | 12/8/2021 |
| NSCF | 3 | 255 | 0 | 12/7/2021 |
| NWSCF | 1 | 91 | 0 | 12/9/2021 |
| SSCF | 0 | 19 | 0 | 11/18/2021 |
| Out of State | 0 | 185 | 0 | 12/7/2020 |
| Total | 4 | 603 | 0 | 12/9/2021 |
| NOTE: This graphic indicates the facility in which the individual tested positive; This DOES NOT reflect where the individual is currently housed |
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| In-State Incarcerated Individuals COVID Tracking Accurate as of 2pm: | 12/13/2021 |
| Currently Incarcerated Positive Cases | 4 |
| Unique Positive Cases* | 417 |
| Total Incarcerated Individuals Tested | 3739 |
| Total Tests Conducted | 41437 |
| Positive Results | 558 |
| Negative Results | 40873 |
| Pending Test Results | 6 |
| Individuals in Medical Isolation | 6 |
| Releases from Medical Isolation | 988 |
| Current Hospitalizations | 0 |
| Unique Individuals Hospitalized | 2 |
| COVID-Related Deaths | 0 |
| NOTE: Following CDC guidelines, the VT DOC implemented the Symptom-Based/Time-Based strategy for removing individuals who previously tested positive from isolation and deeming them "in recovery." *Unique Positive Cases only include the unique number of individuals who tested positive while incarcerated in VT correctional facilities. These individuals may not still be incarcerated. A grand total of positive results is reflected in Positive Results. |
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| Out-of-State Incarcerated Individuals COVID Tracking Accurate as of 2pm: | 12/13/2021 |
| Currently Incarcerated Positive Cases | 0 |
| Unique Positive Cases* | 185 |
| Total Incarcerated Individuals Tested | 219 |
| Total Tests Conducted | 2097 |
| Positive Results | 224 |
| Negative Results | 1873 |
| Pending Test Results | 0 |
| Current Hospitalizations | 0 |
| Unique Individuals Hospitalized | 1 |
| COVID-Related Deaths | 0 |
| NOTE: This tracker provides COVID-19 Testing Updates for individuals incarcerated at Tallahatchie County Correctional Facility (TCCF) in Tutwiler, Mississippi. *Unique Positive Cases only include the unique number of individuals who tested positive while incarcerated in VT correctional facilities. These individuals may not still be incarcerated. A grand total of positive results is reflected in Positive Results. |
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These reports are accurate as of 2:00pm on the report date. Information in red indicates new information since the last report.
Medical Isolation refers to the physical separation of ill persons (positive Covid-19 test and/or the presence of symptoms: fever, cough or respiratory distress) from those who are not ill in order to prevent the spread of disease-causing germs.
Facility Key: CRCF = Chittenden Regional Correctional Facility; MVRCF = Marble Valley Regional Correctional Facility; NECC = Northeast Correctional Complex; NSCF = Northern State Correctional Facility; NWSCF = Northwest State Correctional Facility; SSCF = Southern State Correctional Facility; Out of State = Tallahatchie County Correctional Facility (TCCF, Mississippi)
Families and friends of incarcerated individuals are encouraged to reach out to the Vermont DOC Office of Constituency Services with questions: https://doc.vermont.gov/information-inmate-families-and-friends. Click here for the direct link to the online Friends and Family portal.
Updates and data on the COVID-19 response in Vermont’s correctional facilities can be found at https://doc.vermont.gov/covid-19-information-page. Prior press updates can be found at https://doc.vermont.gov/content/press-releases.
Source: 12.15.2021 Waterbury, Vt. Vermont Department of Corrections