HONOLULU – COVID-19 testing is continuously being conducted in the state prisons and jails with the assistance of the Hawaii National Guard. The National Guard teams have been going into Oahu facilities hardest hit by the latest surge, to help the Department of Public Safety (PSD) health care staff with nasal swab administration and collection. For the past few weeks, they helped administer hundreds of COVID test swabs at Halawa Correctional Facility, Oahu Community Correctional Center, and the Waiawa Correctional Facility.

“The Department of Public Safety and the Hawaii National guard have worked closely throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. I want to say thank you for being an important partner in the Department’s efforts to mitigate spread of the virus within our correctional facilities, “said Max Otani, PSD Director. “I also want to express my gratitude to the facilities administrative, security and health care staff for their dedication, and for working so many long, tireless hours during this challenging time”.

The latest testing updates received for the correctional facilities are as follows:

Maui Community Correctional Center – 214 inmate test results; 52 positive, 162 negative.

Halawa Correctional Facility – 277 inmate test results; 21 positive, 256 negative. Two (2) positive staff test result, and one (1) staff recoveries reported.

Oahu Community Correctional Center – 53 inmate test results; Five (5) positive, 48 negative. Nine (9) employees have recovered.

Waiawa Correctional Facility – Two (2) inmate results; One (1) positive, one (2) negative.

Kauai Community Correctional Center – Three (3) negative inmate test results.

COVID-19 updates for other PSD Divisions are as follows:

Administrative Division – Two (2) staff have recovered.

There are no inmates or staff reported hospitalized. The Department of Public Safety (PSD) continues to encourage all staff and inmates to voluntarily get tested and receive the COVID-19 vaccination. For more detailed inmate testing data, PSD’s Pandemic Plan and information on response efforts made to safeguard the inmates, staff and public, visit the dedicated COVID-19 webpage at: http://dps.hawaii.gov/blog/2020/03/17/coronavirus-covid-19-information-and-resources/.

Video and pictures of the Hawaii National Guard conducting COVID-19 nasal swabbing at OCCC and HCF can be found here: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/mrucjg2wt5qnndk/AACRBj49zbx3Kefeqg5vpugja?dl=0