The California Men’s Colony, a state prison in San Luis Obispo, is currently suffering one of the largest COVID-19 outbreaks in the state's prison system to date.
California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation data shows that 1,017 people incarcerated at the prison have tested positive for the coronavirus in the past two weeks, about a third of the population. That is more than three times the number at the next highest facility in the system, Calipatria State Prison in Imperial County.
CDCR has reported two COVID-19-related deaths at the prison since the beginning of the pandemic.
A spokesperson for the department said the agency is responding to the surge by increasing the frequency of testing, conducting contact tracing and using isolation and quarantine measures to slow the spread.
"Recreation yard access, meal service and medical appointments are being scheduled in a manner that limits the number of incarcerated people who can be present in an area at a given time," the spokesperson said.
The prison is also testing staff at the facility twice a week; their current positivity rate is 7%.
More at the San Luis Obispo Tribune.