A Michigan state prison is in ‘outbreak status’ with 774 inmates positive for coronavirus

Saginaw Correctional Facility

Saginaw Correctional Facility in Tittabawassee Township.

TITTABAWASSEE TWP, MI — A state prison located in Saginaw County is in the midst of a COVID-19 outbreak, with more than half of the inmates there testing positive.

Michigan Department of Corrections spokesman Chris Gautz said that as of Monday, Jan. 11, there are 774 inmates at Saginaw Correctional Facility who are positive for coronavirus. The facility has 1,387 inmates.

There are more than 300 additional prisoners who are in step-down phase, meaning they have been medically cleared by the MDOC’s chief medical officer, are symptom free and are no longer considered contagious.

Additionally, 118 staffers at the prison have tested positive for the virus.

The prison is currently considered in “outbreak status,” Gautz said.

The prison located at 9625 Pierce Road in Tittabawassee Township, west of the city of Saginaw, is composed of 11 buildings and opened in 1993. COVID-19 cases did not start spiking there until the late fall, Gautz said.

“Saginaw has been fortunate to not have many cases of COVID prior to November of 2020,” Gautz said. “This was due to the diligence by inmates and staff in maintaining a clean and sanitary facility. Unfortunately, this virus has made its way into Saginaw now and can spread quickly in congregate settings.”

Throughout the MDOC’s facilities across the state, 23,233 inmates have tested positive out of 40,134 tested. As of Monday, there are 6,357 active cases of inmates with coronavirus with an additional 1,940 in step-down phase.

There have been 123 inmate deaths from COVID-19, three of whom were prisoners at Saginaw Correctional Facility. Zero staff members at that prison have died from the virus, though four employees at other facilities have.

In December, a dozen or so inmates at the Saginaw facility refused to return to their cells for several hours after an altercation began between two prisoners. Gautz said that disturbance had nothing to do with the outbreak.

“Staff at Saginaw are still working around the clock to ensure the safety of all prisoners and staff,” Gautz said. “We continue to email all staff and remind staff during pre-shift meetings about the importance of wearing the proper PPE and enforcing social distancing. Saginaw continues to urge prisoners to not gather in unnecessary small or large groups. Saginaw staff continue to provide the necessary hygiene items, copious amounts of cleaning supplies, PPE and encourage the population to do their part in following all protocols.”

The first MDOC employee to receive the COVID-19 vaccine did so on Dec. 30. Per the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services vaccine phase plan, health care staff who provide direct care are the first MDOC employees eligible to receive the vaccine. All other employees fall under priority 1B, which includes critical infrastructure employees and those 65 years or older.

Phase 1C includes people at high risk for severe COVID-19 illness due to underlying medical conditions and people 65 years and older. While Gautz has said as many as 10,000 inmates fall under this, the remaining inmates fall under Phase 2 of the MDHHS plan, which is a mass vaccination campaign for all individuals 16 and older.

Statewide, Michigan has had 523,618 positive coronavirus cases and 13,401 deaths as of Jan. 11.

Read more:

Michigan prison inmates refuse to return to cells for several hours after assault

State prisoner accused of beating cellmate to death appears in court

Convicted murderer with terminal illness seeks clemency to die at home with mother

Inmates briefly take control of U.P. prison unit

If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.