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Virginia Dept. of Corrections inmates, employees test positive for COVID-19

A Chesapeake correctional officer and an employee at the Norfolk Probation and Parole office are among those who have tested positive for the coronavirus.

RICHMOND, Va. — The Virginia Department of Corrections said it has received its first positive coronavirus test results for incarcerated offenders on Tuesday.  Three Corrections employees and a contractor have also tested positive for COVID-19.

Three inmates who tested positive are incarcerated at the Virginia Correctional Center for Women (VCCW) in Goochland.

The employees who have tested positive include an officer in training at the VCCW, a correctional officer at Indian Creek Correctional Center in Chesapeake, and one employee at the Norfolk Probation and Parole office. 

The contractor who tested positive is a nurse at VCCW.

The VADOC says all of its facilities are operating on modified lockdown in order to minimize contact between groups of offenders from different buildings, and that Virginia Correctional Enterprises is manufacturing tens of thousands of sneeze/cough guard masks for use by staff and inmates.

Visitation and volunteer activities are canceled, but video visitation, email, and phone calls are still available.

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