UPDATE: ST. MARTINVILLE, La. (KLFY) — An inmate inside St. Martin Parish Correctional Center has tested positive for the first time since the COVID-19 outbreak began.
Sheriff Becket Breaux expressed it’s possible, the prisoner has already come in contact with other cellmates.
“The inmate that has COVID-19, he’s been here. It wasn’t a new arrest,” Breaux told News 10 Monday. “He’s been here, and he’s with individuals.”
According to Sheriff Breaux, the infected inmate has been in close enough contact with everyone else in his dormitory to warrant the entire section be on lockdown.
“We monitor it, and if it does spread to other individuals,” Breaux stated. “We’re going to take the appropriate steps to make sure it does not go throughout the whole jail.”
Spread between dormitories is less likely since meals and other activities are contained within them assured Breaux, but some people question if more should be done to protect inmates.
Video News 10 captured Monday showed unmasked inmates who were not socially distanced reentering the facility.
Sheriff Breaux said new inmates are screened with the assistance of St. Martin Hospital, and the cleaning, staff check-in policies, and other steps taken since February have ensured the correctional facility was able to keep both its commitments to the St. Martin Parish community before the first inmate case.
Breaux said he intends to keep who is inside and outside the prison as safe as possible in the future
“Covid-19, we have concerns about it upstairs, but let me tell you, it’s not going to prohibit us from doing the job we need to do in St. Martin Parish. If a crime is being broken, if a crime is serious enough, we’re going to take action. We’re going to do what we have to do. At the same time, we’re going to keep in mind the health and wellbeing of the incarcerated individuals,” Sheriff Breaux concluded.
Upon entering the St. Martin Sheriff’s Office lobby, guests will now be given a questionnaire along with having their temperature taken. The questions used to be required for staff members only, but Breaux said after the first case was confirmed in the facility, he made the decision it will be for all guests.
Another precaution st. Martin parish has taken to prevent COVID-19 in their correctional city since February is booking fewer people on misdemeanor charges, but felony charges are handled differently.
If the inmate’s condition worsens and he has a serious criminal charge, he could be sent to a state facility that would have the ability to treat COVID-19. Breaux added a hospital treatment would be available for an inmate with a lesser charge.
ORIGINAL STORY: ST. MARTINVILLE, La. (KLFY) — St. Martin Parish Sheriff Becket Breaux reported that the parish’s Correctional Center had their reported case of inmate COVID-19.
According to a press release today, the inmate was diagnosed after being tested by medical personnel. Breaux said St. Martin Parish Correctional Center staff, along with the assistance of St. Martin Hospital, is diligently monitoring the situation and continues to follow all COVID-19 protocols.
“In an effort to lessen the exposure to other incarcerated individuals, we are currently in communication with other public agencies to explore all avenues necessary for expediting pending court cases,” said the sheriff.
Breaux said the St. Martin Parish Correctional Center has been diligently working since February to prevent the spread of COVID-19 by taking measures such as mandating masks and temperature checks for inmates and staff who enter the facility, frequent cleaning of both the Correctional Center and Sheriff’s Office, and having stringent protocols in place when booking in new inmates.
