2,100 San Quentin Inmates Quarrantined In H1N1 Scare

[Shiloh]

Source: http://cbs5.com/local/san.quentin.inmate.2.1070526.html

Jul 3, 2009 11:06 am US/Pacific
800 San Quentin Inmates Quarrantined In H1N1 Scare
SAN QUENTIN (BCN) ―

Approximately 800 minimum-security inmates were under quarantine at San Quentin State Prison Thursday due to four probable cases of H1N1 influenza, California Prison Health Care Services announced.

Prison officials said while there are four probable cases, 30 inmates have shown potential symptoms of the virus and have been tested.

Health officials recommended that the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation quarantine the areas where the infected inmates are housed. That area includes four dormitory blocks, affecting approximately 800 inmates.

 

[Shiloh]

Re: 800 San Quentin Inmates Quarrantined In H1N1 Scare

Re: 800 San Quentin Inmates Quarrantined In H1N1 Scare

Source: http://cbs5.com/local/san.quentin.h1n1.2.1074292.html

Jul 6, 2009 4:32 pm US/Pacific
San Quentin H1N1 Quarantine Expanded
SAN QUENTIN (BCN) ―


A limited quarantine imposed at San Quentin State Prison last week because of four probable cases of the H1N1 virus, or swine flu, has now been expanded to quarantine 2,100 inmates, a prison health care spokesman said Monday.

The quarantine began last week after four inmates suffering from an out-of-season flu were found to have a 97 percent chance of having the H1N1 virus and 26 others showed potential symptoms of the virus.

Luis Patino, a spokesman for court-appointed prison health care receiver Clark Kelso, said the 30 inmates all came from the prison's H Unit and the original quarantine was confined to 800 inmates within four sections of that unit.

Now, Patino said, the number with potential symptoms has increased to 31 prisoners within three different blocks, in addition to the four probable cases.

As a result, the quarantine has been expanded to 500 inmates in the Alpine section of S Block and 800 in North Block in addition to the 800 in H Unit, Patino said.

The quarantine is still smaller-scale than an earlier correctional system response on May 3, when California prisons were quarantined statewide for about 10 days after an inmate tested positive for Influenza A and later the H1N1 virus.

Dr. Dwight Winslow, the chief medical officer of California Prison Health Care Services, said the agency is taking the current approach because more is now known about the virus.

Winslow said, "We have decided on a more measured response this time because we know much more about this strain of swine flu than we did a couple of months ago.

"It is not as virulent a strain as was first feared?in fact, its severity is very much like seasonal flu. We also have much more experience in containing and dealing with this illness," Winslow said.

Winslow added, "However, it's important that the public be aware when infections are occurring in their community so that proper precautions can be taken."

Patino said inmates under quarantine must remain in their units or blocks and can't have visitors or attend classes outside the unit.

Those who are ill must stay in their cells. None has needed hospitalization thus far, he said.

Patino said the number of those with potential symptoms has fluctuated over the past several days. It takes about 10 days to get test results on a suspected case of H1N1 virus.

 

[Thornton]

Re: 2,100 San Quentin Inmates Quarrantined In H1N1 Scare

It takes about 10 days to get test results on a suspected case of H1N1 virus.

Given the epidemiology and the decision not to aggressively test, maybe the more correct term is PROBABLE rather than suspected H1N1.

 

[thebes]

Re: 2,100 San Quentin Inmates Quarrantined In H1N1 Scare

San Quentin won't accept new inmates, citing flu
The Associated Press
Posted: 07/07/2009 05:55:50 PM PDT
Updated: 07/07/2009 08:05:57 PM PDT


SACRAMENTO, Calif.?San Quentin State Prison will stop accepting inmates from 19 Northern California counties Wednesday because of swine flu fears, corrections officials said Tuesday.

Nearly half the 5,200 inmates in the prison north of San Francisco are being quarantined. Luis Patino, a spokesman for the federal receiver who oversees prison medical care, said tests show four inmates likely have the H1N1 virus, and 47 inmates are showing symptoms.

Inmates aren't being shipped to other prisons for fear they could spread the pandemic flu. That means there's no room for the roughly 250 new inmates who would normally be shipped in from county jails each week.

Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation spokesman Oscar Hidalgo said the department is arranging with counties to bring incoming inmates to other prisons for processing as early as Wednesday.

He said San Quentin will soon be able to accept some new inmates as others are paroled. About 105 inmates each week are normally paroled from San Quentin.

"No one's getting early release, nothing like that," Hidalgo said. He said the department has routinely faced similar problems with other contagious diseases.

http://www.mercurynews.com/news/ci_12772152