Staff Reports
Seven inmates at Tomoka Correctional Institution in Daytona Beach have COVID-19, the Florida Department of Corrections said Wednesday.
There are now 10 cases at the prison, including three employees. There were zero on Monday.
In a news release, the department acknowledged the cases and outlined steps it is taking to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus within the main unit at Tomoka, which houses 1,226 inmates.
DOC said “Tomoka CI transitioned to providing all services including medical services and meals to inmates within their dormitories” and that it is coordinating with the Volusia County health department to ramp up testing at the facility.
“All symptomatic inmates are being tested for COVID-19. Additionally, elderly and immune-compromised inmates are given priority for testing,” the release said.
Statewide, DOC reports 100 confirmed cases of coronavirus at its facilities, including 58 workers and 42 inmates.
The bulk of those cases are at Blackwater River Correctional Facility, where eight employees and 33 inmates have tested positive.
Earlier Wednesday, it was reported that two Blackwater inmates had died of COVID-19. The first, 69-year-old Jeffrey Sand, died April 9. The second, 84-year-old William Wilson, died April 12.
The deaths were confirmed by the Santa Rosa County medical examiner’s office. DOC has not commented on the deaths.
