A Covid-19 outbreak at the Newport prison continues to grow, with 16 new cases detected — bringing the total to 54 since it started last month.
The results from testing earlier this week revealed 13 new Covid-19 cases among incarcerated individuals and three among staff, according to a news release from the state Department of Corrections Thursday afternoon.
A total of 40 incarcerated individuals and 14 staff have tested positive for Covid-19 at the Northern State Correctional Facility in Newport since the outbreak began Nov. 10, the release stated.
“There are now a total of 13 active incarcerated cases and six active staff cases at NSCF; 27 individuals and eight staff have been medically cleared of the virus,” the release added. “The facility remains on full lockdown and contact tracing on the new positives is underway.”
None of those active cases has required hospitalization, according to Rachel Feldman, a corrections department spokesperson.
Among the incarcerated individuals who tested positive for Covid-19 at the Newport prison, Feldman said, 25 had been vaccinated and 15 had not.
Newport is the state’s largest prison, housing 372 incarcerated individuals as of Thursday, Feldman said.
Across the state’s correctional system, there are a total of 14 Covid-19 cases among incarcerated individuals and 17 among staff members, according to the corrections department.