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H1N1 in Jails, Prison

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  • #46
    Re: H1N1 in Jails, Prison

    Source: http://bgdailynews.com/articles/2009...news/news6.txt

    (KENTUCKY)
    Jailers are being vigilant in effort to avoid outbreak

    By JUSTIN STORY, The Daily News, jstory@bgdailynews.com
    Sunday, October 18, 2009 12:01 AM CDT
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    Local demand for the seasonal influenza vaccine has been readily apparent, with area clinics and pharmacies exhausting their supplies and those locations with remaining supplies witnessing a backlog of appointments.

    The area is bracing for a demand for the H1N1 nasal mist and flu shot vaccines, and area jailers this past week got an opportunity to learn to better prepare themselves for a potential outbreak.

    Many of the state?s jailers, including Warren County Jailer Jackie Strode, Barren County Jailer Matt Mutter and Allen County Jailer Larry Piper, gathered in Lexington last week for the Kentucky Jailers Association 2009 Fall Conference.

    The three-day conference provided county jailers and officers with valuable training experience and offers several sessions to update jail personnel on state laws that apply to jails.

    On Thursday, several jailers attended a seminar led by Capt. Jim Capillo, administrative captain of the Fayette County Detention Center, that provided information about the H1N1 virus and offered advice on what to do to avoid an outbreak and how to respond to a pandemic.

    Mutter, the acting jailer in Barren County, said the seminar went into detail on what the H1N1 virus, also known as swine flu, is and how it is spread.

    The advice that jailers received to help prevent an outbreak among employees and inmates - your hands washed and sneezing and coughing into a shirt-sleeve to avoid spreading germs - was similar to what health departments are offering.

    In the closed environment of a jail, however, a greater emphasis has to be placed on those precautions, Mutter said. ?Every time an inmate is booked in, we have them use hand sanitizer before they get fingerprinted,? Mutter said.

    Jail employees are offered the seasonal flu and hepatitis vaccines each year in Barren County, Mutter said, and the jail is looking into the possibility of buying doses of the H1N1 vaccine whenever they?re made available.

    ?We?re more concerned with getting our employees vaccinated first ... I don?t know how readily available (the vaccine) will be and I don?t know how much of it we?re going to have,? Mutter said. ?It is something I?m going to check into when I get back from the conference because (our employees) are exposed to everything that comes through the door there on a daily basis.?

    Jailers said when an inmate gets sick from a contagious disease, that person is isolated from the rest of the jail population.

    Piper said the clinics in his county are out of the seasonal flu vaccine, and that sanitary practices are strongly encouraged among the employees and inmates in the Allen County Jail.

    ?Our number one is if somebody comes down with a cold, we try to get them to a doctor quick,? Piper said. ?If they?re sick, we try to isolate them and put them by themselves.?

    Piper said more hand sanitizer has been made available in the jail and door handles are being cleaned more frequently.

    The jail works through local clinics to obtain the vaccine, he said.

    Comment


    • #47
      Re: H1N1 in Jails, Prison

      Source: http://www.readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=162149

      10/21/2009
      (PA)
      Berks County Prison inmates quarantined while six are tested for swine flu, warden says
      By Holly Herman
      Reading Eagle

      Berks County Prison Warden George A. Wagner said Tuesday that 90 inmates were in quarantine for five days while six of them were tested for swine flu.

      Wagner said the inmates were quarantined as a precaution because six of the inmates had high fevers and coughs.

      So far, he said, test results have shown that one inmate has swine flu.

      He said the quarantine was lifted Tuesday at 2 p.m. because none of the other inmates displayed symptoms.

      Wagner said the quarantined inmates remained in their cells and were allowed out only for showers. Meals were delivered to the cells.

      "These folks could not go to court for the last few days," he said. "We asked the court to postpone their cases because we didn't want them mixing with people."

      Wagner said those inmates are being cared for by the prison medical department.

      Court officials said about a half-dozen criminal cases were delayed because of the quarantine.

      Wagner said six inmates initially were tested and two of them underwent further testing for the H1N1 virus. He said results are pending in one of those tests.

      President Judge Jeffrey L. Schmehl said precautions were taken to ensure the virus did not spread.

      "Unfortunately, if people are exposed to the swine flu, we don't want to bring them down here and expose them to the sheriff's deputies and other people in the courthouse," Schmehl said.

      He said cases will be staggered if there a large-scale outbreak of the virus.

      District Attorney John T. Adams said one criminal trial and several other hearings were delayed.

      Adams said it looked as though a homicide trial was going to be delayed Tuesday because a witness was in quarantine. But the trial got under way as scheduled after Wagner lifted the order, he said.

      "It caused some slight disruption in the court system," he said. "I firmly believe that with the dangers of the flu we have to take precautions."

      Judge Linda K.M. Ludgate, head of criminal court, said she had to move one case because of the swine flu.

      "I was concerned about it," Ludgate said. "It's all over the country. It's a big issue."

      Contact Holly Herman: 610-478-6291 or hherman@readingeagle.com.

      Comment


      • #48
        Re: H1N1 in Jails, Prison

        Berks County Prison Warden George A. Wagner said Tuesday that 90 inmates were in quarantine for five days while six of them were tested for swine flu.

        Wagner said the inmates were quarantined as a precaution because six of the inmates had high fevers and coughs.

        So far, he said, test results have shown that one inmate has swine flu.

        He said the quarantine was lifted Tuesday at 2 p.m. because none of the other inmates displayed symptoms.

        Wagner said the quarantined inmates remained in their cells and were allowed out only for showers. Meals were delivered to the cells.

        "These folks could not go to court for the last few days," he said. "We asked the court to postpone their cases because we didn't want them mixing with people."

        Wagner said those inmates are being cared for by the prison medical department.

        Court officials said about a half-dozen criminal cases were delayed because of the quarantine.

        Wagner said six inmates initially were tested and two of them underwent further testing for the H1N1 virus. He said results are pending in one of those tests.


        President Judge Jeffrey L. Schmehl said precautions were taken to ensure the virus did not spread.

        "Unfortunately, if people are exposed to the swine flu, we don't want to bring them down here and expose them to the sheriff's deputies and other people in the courthouse," Schmehl said.

        He said cases will be staggered if there a large-scale outbreak of the virus.

        District Attorney John T. Adams said one criminal trial and several other hearings were delayed.

        Adams said it looked as though a homicide trial was going to be delayed Tuesday because a witness was in quarantine. But the trial got under way as scheduled after Wagner lifted the order, he said.

        "It caused some slight disruption in the court system," he said. "I firmly believe that with the dangers of the flu we have to take precautions."

        Judge Linda K.M. Ludgate, head of criminal court, said she had to move one case because of the swine flu.

        "I was concerned about it," Ludgate said. "It's all over the country. It's a big issue."

        Contact Holly Herman: 610-478-6291 or hherman@readingeagle.com.



        comment: This is Pennsylvania, USA

        Comment


        • #49
          Re: H1N1 in Jails, Prison

          Source: http://www.thereporter.com/news/ci_13607679

          Flu-like symptoms quarantine inmates (California)
          Published by The Reporter
          Posted: 10/21/2009 01:01:38 AM PDT

          Dozens of inmates at the Solano County Jail have been in quarantine since last Thursday, when five of them reportedly exhibited flu-like systems, officials said Tuesday.

          "Three modules were quarantined for precautionary measures only," explained Sgt. Walt Gilliam, jail spokesman.

          The five inmates were tested for the H1N1 virus and placed in isolation. Test results were pending at press time.

          The inmates' fellow housemates were quarantined, just in case. Meanwhile, visitation to the affected area was canceled and extra precautions were taken to ensure the health and safety of both inmates and staff, Gilliam said.

          The quarantine is expected to be lifted today.

          Comment


          • #50
            Re: H1N1 in Jails, Prison

            Source: http://www.postindependent.com/artic...ntProfile=1074

            Garfield County jail dealing with flu cases in inmates, staff

            John Gardner
            Post Independent Staff
            Glenwood Springs, CO Colorado

            GLENWOOD SPRINGS, Colorado ? With less than the expected number of H1N1 vaccines having been distributed through the nation, many areas are dealing with high numbers of reported flu cases. Jails and prisons are having a tough time dealing with the increase in flu among inmates and staff as well.

            One of the concerns of Garfield County Sheriff Lou Vallario is the potential security risk if a high number of detention deputies come down with the flu this year.

            ?Our facility, as well as any others, risk potential safety and security matters if staffing is not adequate due to large numbers of staff being ill and unable to work,? Vallario wrote in an e-mail response to the Post Independent. ?Our concern is that the vaccine did not get distributed in time and the [Center for Disease Control], in their infinite wisdom, decided that law enforcement, particularly detentions/corrections, is not on the priority list.?

            The Associated Press reported Monday that a state prison in Limon had been partially locked down and programs suspended due to a suspected swine flu outbreak among inmates at the facility.

            State corrections officials told the AP that 17 inmates in the Limon Correctional Facility, which is about 90 miles east of Denver, have flu-like symptoms, and another 53 have similar symptoms but no fever. The Limon facility has 953 male inmates.

            While the Garfield County Jail has experienced some cases of flu this fall, Sheriff Vallario said that it's just a situation his staff will have to deal with.

            ?We are dealing with the same issue and potential issues as is any other jail that is experiencing the flu,? Vallario wrote.

            But, ?We have to work through it since we really don't have any alternative,? Vallario added.

            So far, Vallario said, the jail has already seen ?some cases of flu with inmates and staff,? but Vallario would not disclose the exact number of flu cases and did not say if any were determined to be the H1N1 strain.

            Vallario did say that the jail does not test for H1N1 specifically, but only for type A influenza, which both the seasonal and H1N1 are. And the jail does have a full-time medical staff that treats any inmates with any illness.

            Many inmates have appeared in court, over the past week, wearing surgical masks covering their faces. However, it is unclear as to why the inmates were wearing the masks, and Vallario did not comment on the use of the masks specifically.

            The Post Independent has also received at least three phone calls from people who have relatives or acquaintances in jail who have reported that the jail is dealing with a potential outbreak of flu this year.

            However, Vallario said that this year is not really that different from the past.

            ?So far, we have not hit any type of crisis situation,? Vallario wrote. ?But rather are seeing the same thing we would for seasonal flu.?

            jgardner@postindependent.com

            Comment


            • #51
              Re: H1N1 in Jails, Prison

              Source: http://www.ocregister.com/articles/i...ounty-thompson

              (California)
              Wednesday, October 21, 2009
              15 O.C. jail inmates infected with H1N1 virus
              Cases of so-called swine flue were discovered last week, officials say.
              By SALVADOR HERNANDEZ
              The Orange County Register


              Fifteen male inmates at the James A. Musick jail near Irvine have been infected with the H1N1 virus, also known as the swine flu, authorities said.

              It's the first outbreak of the deadly virus at a jail in Orange County since July, when the infection of 25 inmates forced the lockdown of Men's Central Jail and led a judge to temporarily halt court hearings.

              The Orange County Health Care Agency asked that the 15 inmates, all from the same barracks, be confined for at least seven days, said Deanne Thompson, spokeswoman for the agency.

              Eleven inmates from the same barracks inside from the 1,250-bed, minimum-security prison were found to be displaying influenza-like symptoms on Oct. 15, Thompson said. The inmates were separated from the rest of the population and two of them were tested for the virus, she said.

              The two inmates tested positive.

              "It was assumed all were infected with the same virus," Thompson said.

              Meanwhile, four additional cases were discovered in the same barracks, bringing the total to 15 infected inmates, Thompson said.

              The agency's correctional medical services director asked that the infected inmates be isolated for at least seven days, she said.

              This is the first spread of the virus at a county jail facility since the lockdown of Men's Central Jail, which prompted a judge to halt court hearings until the lockdown was lifted.

              So far, 22 people in Orange County have died as a result of the H1N1 virus.

              Contact the writer: shernandez@ocregister.com or 949-454-7361

              Comment


              • #52
                Re: H1N1 in Jails, Prison

                Source: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/...E_SYMPTOMS.asp


                (JAMAICA)

                Prison isolates five new inmates with flu-like symptoms

                Friday, October 23, 2009

                THE New Horizon Adult Remand Centre in Kingston has isolated five new inmates from the prison population after two were found to be suffering from flu-like symptoms.

                The five were recently transferred from lock-ups in Clarendon.

                Despite the isolation of the new inmates, relatives of inmates expressed concerns that those behind bars were being exposed as warders were allowed to wear protective masks and gloves.

                "My brother is in remand and the last time I visited him he told me the inmates were all worried that the virus will begin to spread in there. They say the warders are protecting themselves but the inmates are left exposed," one woman told the Observer.

                Inmates, the woman said, fear that those with flu-like symptoms could be suffering from the deadly Influenza A (H1N1 virus), commonly know as swine flu.
                But the Department of Correctional Services, in a press release yesterday, denied there was an outbreak of swine flu at the penal facility.

                "Five inmates were recently transferred to the facility, two of whom were experiencing flu-like symptoms and one other with a (high) temperature," the release said. "They were examined and are being treated for flu. All five inmates have been isolated from the general population as a precautionary measure."

                Doctors, the release said, were monitoring the situation.
                Jamaica has so far recorded five deaths from 133 cases of the H1N1 virus.

                Yesterday, the Ministry of Health advised people who were at high risk of complications from the H1N1 virus to pay special attention to their health and visit their healthcare provider immediately if they experienced flu-like symptoms.

                Those at high risk, it said, include pregnant women, people with chronic medical conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, obesity, asthma, heart disease or any condition that impairs the immune system, children under five years old and people over 65 years.

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                • #53
                  Re: H1N1 in Jails, Prison



                  Spanish-English translation

                  Mexican inmates vaccinated against influenza
                  Posted: December 14. 2011 2:19 a.m.

                  MEXICO CITY, Mexico, in December. 14 (UPI) - The inmates of the prisons of Mexico City are vaccinated against influenza, officials said. Staff of the Secretariat of Penitentiary System and the Ministry of Health of Mexico City went to the prisons to the vaccine vulnerable groups such as older inmates, as well as children living with their imprisoned mothers in the women's prison of Santa Martha Acatitla. "This is done periodically, now with the proximity of the cold, low temperatures is already doing a schedule (for vaccination) has been applied to the elderly according to the program that marks the Ministry of Health, "explained Celina Oseguera, secretary of the Prison System.

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