COVID Outbreak at Northeast Correctional Facility

ST. JOHNSBURY, Vt. (WCAX) - A COVID-19 outbreak at a St. Johnsbury prison, keeps the facility in lockdown.

The Department of Corrections is reporting nine additional positive COVID cases, with a total of 16.

The positive inmates live in three adjacent housing units. The first case through testing on October 25th, resulted in one unit being placed on full lockdown. Then testing on the 29th, showed 6 additional cases all from the same unit. Three days later, 9 cases.

The entire facility was tested Friday, with four more test dates scheduled over the next two weeks.

Three of Vermont’s correctional facilities and one field office have positive staff cases. All 15 currently positive incarcerated cases are at NECC; the first individual to test positive in the outbreak has since been medically cleared.

The facility has been on full lockdown since October 31st.

St. Johnsbury prison in lockdown following positive COVID cases