ST ANN, Jamaica — The Department of Correctional Services (DCS) is reporting an outbreak of COVID-19 cases at the Hill Top Juvenile Correctional Centre in St Ann.

In an updated posted on its COVID-19 Dashboard on its website this morning, the DCS said 14 wards at the juvenile correctional facility had tested positive for the virus. A further 16 staff members at the facility also tested positive for COVID-19.

According to the dashboard, there are now 16 inmates in the island’s correctional facilities who are positive for COVID-19. In addition to the 14 cases at Hill Top, there are two positive cases at the South Camp Adult Correctional Centre that houses females.

The dashboard also reports 43 active COVID-19 cases among DCS staff, with the 16 at Hill Top added to 11 at the Horizon Adult Remand Centre.

Active cases were also reported at a number of other correctional facilities including Tower Street (one), St Catherine (four) and South Camp Road (three).

Arthur Hall