The Kansas Department of Corrections announced an inmate at the Topeka Correctional Facility tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday.
On Monday, it was announced an employee had tested positive, but inmates were known to have the virus at that time.
The inmate who became sick is identified as a woman over 20 who recently came into the prison from a county jail, and was being monitored in isolation.
According to the KDOC, the following steps are being taken to keep other inmates and staff safe.
- The resident was moved to medical isolation for treatment of her symptoms
- KDHE conducted contact tracing to determine who among our staff and residents have been in close contact with this individual
- The Shawnee County Health Department conducted contact tracing to identify anyone outside of TCF who may have been in close contact with this individual and will notify those persons
- KDOC will remain diligent in monitoring other staff and residents for symptoms
“The men, women and children serving time in Kansas correctional facilities may be here because of past mistakes, but their health and wellbeing is important to us,” Zmuda said. “They will not be overlooked, and we are working every day to ensure that they are receiving the medical care and support that they need to one day successfully release back into the community.”
Kansas Health Secretary, Dr. Lee Norman, has suggested that the state should look at testing all inmates to better track the spread of the new coronavirus. More than half of the state’s deaths are tied to nursing homes, and Norman would like to see nursing home residents tested too. He says the state is getting more testing supplies and should soon be able to handle the extra tests.
