Inmate at state prison in Montgomery County diagnosed with covid-19

Tom Davidson | Sunday, March 29, 2020 7:56 p.m.

An inmate in the state prison system tested positive for covid-19, according to Pennsylvania Department of Corrections Sec. John Wetzel.

“An inmate at SCI Phoenix (Montgomery County) with underlying health conditions has tested positive for COVID-19,” Wetzel said in a statement. “The inmate is in the prison’s infirmary and is isolated from other inmates.”

The inmates in the housing unit where the diagnosis was made are under quarantine, the corrections department said.

The inmate wasn’t identified by name, but their interactions with other inmates and employees have been traced and those affected are being isolated in a special unit at the prison, according to the corrections department.

Prison employees who had contact with the inmate are being monitored for symptoms.

It is the first reported case of covid-19 in the state prison system, according to the department of corrections.