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Ocala
Thursday, March 28, 2024

More than 300 inmates in Marion County test positive for deadly Coronavirus

More than 300 inmates housed in the Marion County Jail and two state prisons in Ocala have tested positive for COVID-19.

A total of 209 inmates have been identified with the potentially deadly virus at the county jail, while 274 others tested negative and eight refused to be checked. Twelve tests are pending and 44 are being retested, bringing the total number checked to 503 of the 1,458 inmates housed at the facility, according to Sgt. Paul Bloom.

A total of 146 COVID-19 cases have been identified at the two state prisons located in Ocala. Of those, 129 are inmates at the Lowell Correctional Institution, where 13 staff members also have been identified with the virus.

Sixty-four inmates tested negative and there are 139 pending tests. Also, 143 prisoners are in medical isolation, 891 are in medical quarantine and 10 are in security quarantine at the facility, located at 11120 N.W. Gainesville Rd.

Four staff members have tested positive for COVID-19 at the Marion Correctional Institution, located at 3269 NW 105th Street. No inmates are suffering from the virus but six tested negative and one is awaiting test results. One inmate also is in medical isolation, 125 are in medical quarantine and four are in security quarantine.

Inmates are placed in medical isolation when they are suspected or presenting symptoms of an infectious illness. They are placed in medical quarantine when they may have had close contact with someone who has tested positive or is showing symptoms of an illness. And those in security quarantine are separated because they recently transferred into a correctional facility, according to the Florida Department of Corrections.