2 Montgomery Co. Correctional Facility Inmates Have Coronavirus

NORRISTOWN, PA — Coronavirus has spread to inmates at Montgomery County Correctional Facility, as two prisoners tested positive, officials announced on Friday.

A total of 155 inmates are now in quarantine at the facility "out of an abundance of caution," Montgomery County Commissioner Val Arkoosh said.

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Both of the positive individuals were examined by a medical professional on April 7, and have been in isolation since that time.

In addition, the cell mates of the infected inmates are in isolation. They are showing no symptoms. None of the 155 quarantined inmates are showing symptoms.

Officials touted that they have decreased the facility's population significantly, from 1,342 down to 1,060. They've also reduced their daily intake of new inmates to 5 or 6 a day, down from a pre-outbreak average of 28.

>>PA To Release Around 1,500 Non-Violent Inmates From State Prison

On Friday, the state announced a new program to release around 1,500 non-violent inmates that met certain qualifications, namely, being up for release within the next nine months.

Though the county has not instituted a program quite like the state one, they have used early parole, electronic monitoring, deferral of sentencing, and administrative penalties for nonviolent crimes to limit the population.

Montgomery County announced 13 new deaths on Friday, raising the county death toll to 62. In addition, there are a total of 1,695 cases countywide as of Friday morning.

>>>Full coverage of coronavirus in Pennsylvania