Dozens of inmates, staff members test positive for coronavirus at South Bay Correctional Facility

Hundreds of inmates at the South Bay Correctional Facility in the Glades are under medical quarantine after a sharp spike in coronavirus cases.

AT THE SOUTH BAY CORRECTIONALFACILITY IN THE GLADES AREUNDER MEDICAL QUARANTINE AFTERA SHARP SPIKE IN COVID-19CASES.

THIS COMES AFTER DOZENSOF INMATES AND STAFF MEMBERSHAVE NOW TESTED POSITIVE.

WPTVNEWSCHANNEL 5'S RYAN HUGHESLEARNED LOCAL LEADERS AREDEMANDING ACTION...AS A STRIKETEAM WAS SENT IN TO HELP STOPTHE SPREAD.<< NATS: (CHOPPER) SOUTH BAYCORRECTIONAL FACILITY IN THEGLADES HAS NEARLY 19-HUNDREDAND 50 PRISONERS...AND WPTVHAS LEARNED FROM THEDEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS -MORE THAN 12-HUNDRED-50 OFTHOSE INMATES ARE NOW INMEDICAL QUARANTINE...AND 14HAVE TESTED POSITIVE FOR THECORONAVIRUS.

"A LOT OFRESIDENTS WORK AT THATCORRECTIONAL FACILITY...THEYLEAVE THERE AND THEY GO HOMETO THEIR FAMILIES TO THEIRLOVED ONES." COMMISSIONERMELISSA MCKINLAY CALLING THENUMBERS DISTURBING.

THE DOCALSO REPORTING 39 STAFFMEMBERS AT SOUTH BAY TESTEDPOSITIVE....THE HIGHEST NUMBERIN ANY FACILITY IN THE STATE.ON WEDNESDAY - MCKINLAY CALLEDFOR A DEPARTMENT OF HEALTHSTRIKE TEAM TO BE SENT IN."TRY TO TRACE WHERE THE SOURCEOF THE INFECTION, TEST THEOTHER INMATES AND OTHERPERSONNEL, PUT PROTOCOLS INPLACE TO MAKE SURE THE VIRUSDOESN'T SPREAD." SOUTH BAYMAYOR JOE KYLES SAYS HE HEARDRUMORS OF THE OUTBREAK...BUTONLY LEARNED THE FACTS AFTERSPEAKING WITH THE ASSISTANTWARDEN.

"HE EXPRESSED TO METHAT THEY ARE WEARING MASKSAND GLOVES TO MAKE SUREEVERYONE IS SAFE.

ALSO,THEY'RE DOING A TEMPERATURECHECK AS WELL." SOUTH BAY IS APRIVATE STATE PRISON...RUN BYTHE GEO GROUP..BASED IN BOCARATON.

MCKINLAY SENT THISLETTER TO GOVERNOR RONDESANTIS THURSDAY...SAYINGSHE'S CONCERNED "THE OUTBREAKIS BEYOND THE CAPACITY OF THEGEO GROUP TO MANAGE." "WHENYOU HAVE AN AREA OF SUCH HIGHCONCENTRATION, YOU'RE STARTINGTO SEE THE NUMBERS IN THEGLADES COMMUNITIES CREEP UP ALITTLE BIT." A GEOSPOKESPERSON TELLS WPTV: "THEHEALTH AND SAFETY OF ALL THOSEIN OUR CARE AND OUR EMPLOYEESIS OUR UTMOST PRIORITY, AND WEWILL CONTINUE TO COORDINATECLOSELY WITH THE STATE OFFLORIDA AND THE LOCAL HEALTHDEPARTMENT TO ENSURE THEIRHEALTH AND SAFETY” ----------RYAN--------- (NEED TO SHOOTTOMORROW....MCKINLAY IS GOINGTO GET ME UPDATED INFOREGARDING WHAT THE STRIKE TEAMFOUND) MCKINLAY SAYS SHE ISOPTIMISTIC THE SITUATION IS NOWUNDER CONTROL.