CSC reports COVID-19 case at Millhaven Institution

In its latest update on COVID-19 cases within its institutions, the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) announced a case amongst inmates at Millhaven Institution in Bath, Ont.

Updated on Sunday, Feb. 28, 2021, CSC’s online COVID-19 inmate and case summary overview lists one inmate case of COVID-19 at the maximum security prison. That case is currently active, according to CSC, and was detected sometime between Thursday, Feb. 25 and Sunday, Feb. 28, 2021.

On Thursday, Feb. 25, 2021, CSC provided an update on the COVID-19 status of Joyceville Institution, where a mass outbreak began in mid-December 2020.

“February 25, 2021, marks the end of the COVID-19 outbreak at Joyceville Institution, with all 160 positive inmate cases now recovered. All federal institutions in Ontario with positive COVID-19 inmate cases since the beginning of the pandemic, have now recovered,” CSC said in a press release on that date, noting that the Canadian Red Cross was brought in to aid and assist CSC’s efforts once the outbreak began.

“While the current situation is certainly a positive step for our correctional institutions, to continue protecting our staff and inmates, we will maintain the rigorous health measures we’ve implemented in order to mitigate any further spread of the virus.”

At the time this update was provided, the inmate and case summary overview, which is updated weekly, did not list the case at Millhaven Institution. They did, however, explain how they’ve adapted during the pandemic.

“At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, CSC put in place extensive infection prevention and control measures across its 43 federal correctional institutions. These included mandatory masks for inmates and staff, physical distancing measures, active health screening of anyone entering our institutions (including a temperature check), increased cleaning and disinfection at sites, as well as training more than 250 employees to conduct contact tracing and carrying out significant testing among inmates and staff, including asymptomatic individuals,” CSC said.

“We also put an enhanced focus on proper hand washing and proper cleaning and laundering protocols. We made more extensive PPE available, as needed. Furthermore, we developed protocols to medically isolate inmates, when required, in order to mitigate the introduction or spread of the virus in our institutions.”

CSC also said that infection prevention and control measures continue to be in place at all of its sites across the province. Various measures in place in the region’s Institutions include:

• adjustments to institutional routines
• suspension of in person visits
• enhanced levels of protective equipment such as medical masks (including face shields),
• enhanced screening efforts
• heightened cleaning activities

CSC said these measures are continuously reassessed in consultation with their public health partners. Kingstonist will continue to provide updates on the status of COVID-19 cases within CSC institutions locally, and update this article as more information becomes available.