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15 active COVID-19 cases at Bowden prison

Bowden Institution has had 36 positive cases this year with 21 recovered and no deaths
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The Bowden Institution medium security facility near Bowden has 15 active COVID-19 cases. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh)

Bowden Institution has 15 active cases of COVID-19 among inmates or staff.

All 15 cases are in the Medium 2 part of the prison. Since the pandemic began, 2,177 tests had been performed there with 36 positives, according to statistics posted on a Correction Service Canada (CSC) website.

The medium-security unit has a rated capacity of 470 inmates and the minimum-security unit has a rated capacity of 130 inmates.

The first positive test occurred on April 18 this year. On April 28, the prison issued a news release saying 10 staff and 15 prisoners had been infected. Twenty-one of those testing positive have recovered.

In Medium 1, there have been 754 tests conducted with two positive cases, both recovered. The first positive result came in on this past Jan. 11.

“We continue to actively screen all individuals entering the institution and decisions regarding access to the site as well as programs and services are being made in consultation with public health authorities,” said the prison in its April 28 release. “All staff and inmates are equipped with medical masks, and we have increased cleaning and disinfecting throughout the site.

“In addition, CSC is currently rolling out the second phase of its vaccination strategy and has offered COVID-19 vaccines to inmates and employees at the site.”

Bowden’s medium-security unit can hold up to 470 inmates and the minimum-security unit holds up to 130 inmates.

At Drumheller Institution, 4,204 tests were conducted with 181 positives since Dec. 21. All have recovered.

Edmonton Institution announced on May 8 that one inmate and two staff members had tested positive and precautions are being taken.

Canada-wide, 43,237 tests have been conducted with 1,519 positive results. Of those, five people have died and 1,519 recovered. There are 50 active cases in the prison system.

At Red Deer Remand Centre, there have been 50 cases of COVID since the pandemic began. All have recovered and there are no active cases, said Alberta Health Services on Wednesday.

The remand centre has 72 staff overseeing up to 146 inmates.



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