Statewide prison lockdown, rapid antigen tests rolled out as Parklea Covid incident hits 31 cases

Corrective Services are set to enforce a statewide prison lockdown as the department scrambles to roll out rapid antigen testing at Covid-positive facilities.

Corrective Services NSW has enforced a statewide lockdown of its facilities — as the department scramble to rollout rapid antigen testing across the state after several correctional centres were forced into lockdown with Covid positive inmates.

Corrections sources confirmed a statewide lockdown would be implemented from Monday, August 30 after six prisons including Shortland, Goulburn, South Coast, Cooma, the Metropolitan Remand & Reception Centre at Silverwater and Bathurst were in lockdown on Sunday night.

Rapid Antigen Testing is being rolled out across NSW correctional centres as cases inside prisons spike. (Photo by MIGUEL MEDINA / AFP)

Meanwhile, Rapid Antigen Testing has been rolled out at Bathurst Correctional Centre on Monday morning following six officers testing Covid-positive.

Several other facilities are expected to come online for Rapid Antigen Testing this week.

The statewide lockdown comes as Corrective Services NSW refuted information from several sources at Long Bay Correctional Centre who claimed a wing of the facility was forced into lockdown after two inmates were transferred from Parklea Correctional Centre.

A source at Long Bay Correctional Centre said the privately-run Parklea jail sent two inmates to Long Bay without isolating them.

Signage at the Long Bay Correctional Complex in Sydney. (AAP Image/Joel Carrett)

A Corrective Services NSW spokesman said “there are no Covid-positive inmates from Parklea at Long Bay, to the best of our knowledge”.

“There are some inmates from Parklea at Long Bay who have been tested, and are in isolation until the results of the tests are known,” the spokesman said.

The spokesman said the facility was “locked down until results of tests (are) known”.

An MTC-Broadspectrum spokeswoman for Parklea Correctional Centre said “the safety of all staff and inmates is our number one priority, and remains at the forefront of our decision-making processes while COVID-19 continues to pose a risk”.

“Parklea Correctional Centre has taken appropriate health and safety measures after 31 inmates were diagnosed with COVID-19 over the past month,” she said.

“Twelve inmates, who are housed in the same wing and not new arrivals, tested positive for COVID-19 on Friday, 27 August and Saturday, 28 August. An investigation into the source of the infection is underway.

“The inmates have been isolated and are receiving appropriate care at the prison. As a precaution, the main prison at Parklea Correctional Centre has been locked down.”

Pictured is Governor of Parklea Correctional Centre, Paul Baker speaking with inmates in the common area of the Gold Cell Wing, during a look inside Parklea Correctional Centre in Sydneys West today. Picture: Tim Hunter.

The spokeswoman said staff who have had contact with the positive cases have been directed to go for immediate Covid-19 testing and to isolate.

“No staff have tested positive at this stage,” she said.

“All fresh custody inmates are tested on reception for Covid-19. Nineteen new arrivals have tested positive over the past month.

“Sixteen of these inmates were transferred to the isolation hub at the Metropolitan Remand and Reception Centre at Silverwater on the same day of their diagnosis. The other three cases are being cared for at Parklea.”

The total number of positive inmates is understood to be around 60, although the majority are fresh custodies who were isolated from the time they entered the prison system.

Supplied

An internal memo sent to staff at Cessnock Correctional Centre informed them that a number of inmates who had mixed with positive COVID-19 prisoners at Parklea Prison had been sent there on August 11.

Corrective Services NSW has been contacted for comment.