SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Outbreaks are underway at several state prisons among both inmates and staff, data from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation show, amid a broader surge of COVID-19 spreading across California and nationwide.
Prisons reported nearly 1,500 new inmate COVID-19 cases between May 1 and May 29, an almost 20-fold increase compared to just 75 infections reported over the preceding four weeks, according to a CDCR online data tracker.
About 470 recent inmate cases were considered active as of Wednesday morning. That remains far below the 9,600 active cases reported at the peak of winter’s omicron wave, but the recent caseload still represents the second-largest surge since vaccines rolled out in early 2021.
Prisons throughout the pandemic have faced immense surges, largely due to crowded conditions in congregate settings. Nearly 75,000 inmates have tested positive while in custody, according to state corrections data, as well as more than 42,000 CDCR employees.
At least 254 inmates and 50 CDCR staff have died of the virus, according to state data.
The state agency in a Friday update reported just over 900 active cases among CDCR employees, including many at Sacramento County facilities.
The Richard A. McGee Correctional Training Center in Galt had 78 active staff cases late last week, the most of any CDCR facility and representing more than 20% of the site’s caseload for the 27-month pandemic.
California State Prison, Sacramento, near Folsom was fourth on the list at 44 active staff cases, trailing San Quentin at 65 and California Health Care Facility in Stockton at 46.
The largest current outbreak among inmates is at California Health Care Facility. State corrections officials have reported 181 new inmate cases in the past two weeks, which is about 8% of the site’s 2,200 inmates.
The Stockton prison’s latest caseload is higher than during the omicron surge in January, which peaked at about 125 active cases at California Health Care Facility.
Across the state prison system, 81% of CDCR’s 97,000 current inmates are considered fully vaccinated and 64% are considered “up to date,” meaning they have received a booster dose if eligible.
Both rates are lower among CDCR’s more than 62,000 employees, of whom 73% are reported as fully vaccinated with only 41% up-to-date on boosters. However, CDCR says not all staff are required to report their vaccination status.
Masks remain mandatory at California correctional facilities under a state health order. Respirator masks such as N95s are required in some settings for CDCR employees and contractors working at corrections facilities, according to CDCR guidance.
