Hawaii Community Correctional Center in Hilo has been placed in quarantine after two recently admitted inmates tested positive for COVID-19.
The enactment of the facility’s pandemic protocol, which also suspends all inmate movement from the facility, comes less than a month after the facility emerged April 26 from quarantine prompted by two positive tests among staff.
The Department of Public Safety said Monday that four inmates tested after the most recent infections received negative results. Contract tracing is underway and voluntary testing is being coordinated.
The positive cases are being held in the facility’s intake-related quarantine housing, the department said.
The jail will continue to take new admissions.
As of the most recent bi-monthly population report issued April 5, Hawaii Community Correctional Center reported housing 298 inmates, which exceeds operational capacity by 72 persons.