6 New COVID Cases Identified in HCCC Outbreak

COVID-19 cases among inmates at Hawai‘i Community Correctional Center (HCCC) have crept up to 77, officials announced Tuesday, June 1.

According to the Department of Public Safety (PSD), six inmates tested positive after 53 prisoners were tested for the virus in the facility’s latest mass testing. The other 47 individuals yielded negative results. There were eight new positive staff test results received bringing the total staff positives to nine.

Mass testing for the coronavirus at HCCC has been underway for several days after two recently admitted inmates to HCCC tested positive for the virus on May 24. The jail enacted its pandemic protocol, which includes implementing a facility-wide quarantine of all inmate housing and suspending inmate movement going out of the facility. HCCC is in constant contact with the courts to notify them of the status. Ongoing testing is being implemented by HCCC health care staff, with the assistance of the Department of Health and the Hawaii National Guard.

COVID-19 testing is continuously being conducted statewide at all facilities. The inmate test results received at other facilities are as follows:

• Halawa Correctional Facility – 103 negative inmate test results
• O‘ahu Community Correctional Center – 40 negative inmate test results
• Kulani Correctional Facility – 19 negative inmate test results
• Maui Community Correctional Center – 10 negative inmate test results
• Waiawa Correctional Facility – 1 negative inmate test result

One of the remaining two positive corrections recruits assigned to the Training and Staff Development (TSD) section has recovered and was cleared to complete the last four days of training this week. There is one recruit pending medical clearance to return to class. No recruits are in the hospital. All other corrections recruits have completed class.

The Department of Public Safety (PSD) continues to encourage all staff and inmates to voluntarily get tested and receive the COVID vaccination. For more information on PSD’s planning and response to COVID-19, inmate testing data, and information detailing the efforts made to safeguard the inmates, staff and public, click here.