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A sixth correctional officer working at the Saskatoon Correctional Centre has tested positive for COVID-19.
But the provincial government says it doesn’t believe the respiratory virus is spreading within the facility.
Ministry of Corrections and Policing spokesperson Noel Busse told reporters on Friday afternoon that the officer is isolating at home, similar to the situation of the other five who had previously contracted COVID-19.
No inmates have tested positive for the virus so far, but they are being monitored for symptoms.
The ministry is working to trace with whom the officer came into contact and to take any necessary precautions.
While six officers have now tested positive for COVID-19 at the jail, Busse said there’s still a belief that the virus is not being spread within the facility.
“There’s not necessarily any indication it was spreading between staff,” he said.
Busse wouldn’t divulge whether ministry officials believe the staff members were infected in separate contacts outside of work or if they were infected at the facility, saying it could divulge personal health information.
Asked why the provincial government believes there isn’t any transmission within Saskatoon Correctional, he would only say that officials were working with public health officials on contact tracing.
Busse noted the centre’s population has decreased by 21 per cent in recent weeks, creating more opportunity for physical distancing to prevent any potential spread of the virus. He said the ministry is not considering any changes to allow non-violent offenders out of holding earlier than normal to increase spacing further.
The facility also underwent a disinfectant fogging in recent days after the third, fourth and fifth correctional officers tested positive for COVID-19.
