Potential COVID-19 outbreak at Black River, Santa Cruz police stations
Published:Friday | January 7, 2022 | 3:29 PM
Asha Wilks/Gleaner Writer
There is a possible COVID-19 outbreak among the inmate populations at the Black River and Santa Cruz police stations in St Elizabeth.
Superintendent Dwight Daley, commanding officer of the St Elizabeth police division, told The Gleaner that earlier this week, inmates at both locations began exhibiting flu-like symptoms.
The Ministry of Health and Wellness was then called in to conduct testing.
Both stations are now under quarantine.
According to Daley, the Black River police station has over 30 suspected COVID-19 cases, including a cop; while Santa Cruz has 14 suspected cases.
“If we receive a positive result then the entire facility will be closed down,” said the commanding officer, adding that neither facility will be accepting prisoners at this time.
Approximately nine inmates are usually housed in each cell, said Daley.
Once at full capacity, prisoners are housed in other divisions.
“If we arrest persons in St Elizabeth and we have a capacity issue, we would take the prisoners to Manchester or Clarendon,” he explained.
According to Daley, the potential outbreak will have little impact on the operations of the facilities.
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