Over 800 Active COVID-19 Cases Reported at SCI Forest

FOREST CO., Pa. (EYT) – There are currently 826 active cases of COVID-19 among inmates at SCI Forest.

According to information from Maria A. Bivens, Press Secretary for the PA Department of Corrections, SCI Forest has now completed their mass testing of the inmate population, administering a total of 2,001 PCR tests.

Officials are still awaiting the results of 119 tests and expect to receive those results by Friday, January 22.

According to the information provided, the total number of positive inmate cases reported at SCI Forest is 881, with 826 of those cases currently active.

Bivens reported that of the 826 active positive cases, 792 are asymptomatic, and there is currently just one inmate requiring a higher level of care at the facility. No inmates are hospitalized or on ventilators or similar devices.

There are also 52 inmates who have recovered and three reported COVID-related inmate deaths.

According to Bivens, any inmate whose next-of-kin/emergency contact would need to be contacted due to a poor prognosis or for medical decision making would be contacted; however, at this time, the facility has no inmates meeting that criteria.

Inmates are also still able to communicate with their families via telephone, virtual visits, and GTL email messaging.

SCI Forest is continuing to separate positive and negative cases by housing units while monitoring all of the positive cases to determine if any higher level of care is needed.

Officials are providing updates to staff and the inmate population on the status of the testing.

The entire facility is also continuing to operate on an enhanced quarantine schedule at this time to protect the staff and inmate population.

Among the staff at the facility, there have been 129 total positive COVID-19 cases, of which 25 are currently active and 104 are recovered.