Alliance for Pandemic Preparedness

April 2, 2021

Rapid Spread of SARS-CoV-2 in a State Prison After Introduction by Newly Transferred Incarcerated Persons — Wisconsin, August 14–October 22, 2020

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  • In a Wisconsin state medium-security prison, 79% of the incarcerated population and 3% of staff members contracted SARS-CoV-2 in a span of 8 weeks after the prison received six newly transferred persons who were not identified to be SARS-CoV-2 positive at the time of intake. On August 13 the transferred persons were quarantined with other incarcerated persons who were also recently transferred in the intake unit, and were identified as positive for SARS-CoV-2 on August 25. The positive persons were immediately isolated and the rest of the intake unit underwent a 14-day quarantine. Facility-wide testing was conducted on September 1 and newly positive persons were transferred to the intake unit. Subsequent facility-wide testing indicated rapid spread. A 2.4% positivity rate was detected on September 1, which increased to 46% by September 23, at which point the facility no longer had space to medically isolate or quarantine incarcerated persons. A modified lockdown was put in place, but staff members continued rotations due to staff shortages. By October 22, 79% of the incarcerated population and 3% of staff members contracted SARS-CoV-2. Genome sequencing of 172 cases showed that all specimens belonged to the same lineage. The outbreak resulted in 6 hospitalizations and 1 death among incarcerated persons.

Hershow et al. (Apr 2, 2021). Rapid Spread of SARS-CoV-2 in a State Prison After Introduction by Newly Transferred Incarcerated Persons — Wisconsin, August 14–October 22, 2020. MMWR. https://doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm7013a4