THUNDER BAY — There's a new COVID-19 outbreak at the Thunder Bay District Jail.
The Thunder Bay District Health Unit confirmed the outbreak Tuesday afternoon, saying it was working with the Ministry of the Solicitor General to manage the situation.
Bill Hayes, president of the OPSEU local representing jail staff, told TBnewswatch two inmates in one unit had initially tested positive, and that further testing was being done.
The last COVID-19 outbreak at the jail lasted over two months, and was resolved in early March 2022.
Hayes said it's disconcerting to see the virus return.
"We have everything in place to prevent it, but you never know. Cases in the general public go up, and we're bound to see it reflected in the institution. It's just the type of environment we're working in at the jail."
Hayes said the affected unit, which has 20 or more inmates, has been closed down to try to prevent further spread.
That means the movement of people in and out of cells is being limited.
Hayes said the jail currently houses a little over 120 inmates, a number he described as "not the worst it's been" compared with numbers in the past.
"We try and separate them as much as we can, but it's a tiny facility and everybody's kind of just stepping on each other, so it's difficult."
He said he's satisfied so far with how the ministry is handling the outbreak, but he's waiting to hear the results of the next set of tests.
In a statement, the ministry said its COVID-19 protocols for correctional facilities align with the requirements of the Ministry of Health and public health partners.
The statement also noted that the ministry has its own supply of vaccines, and makes it available to all eligible inmates on an ongoing basis, including booster doses.
NOTE: A previous version of this story was updated at 2:48 pm after TBDHU issued a press release confirming that it has declared an outbreak
