By NANCY WEST, InDepthNH.org
CONCORD – In less than three weeks, the number of state prison inmates with active cases of COVID-19 has skyrocketed from six to 152, with 31 of those in the Northern New Hampshire Correctional Facility in Berlin, according to the state Department of Corrections’ website.
The number of state prison staff on Monday with active COVID-19 was 21.
There were no active COVID-19 cases at the federal prison in Berlin Monday, but they did report three staff members being positive.
The biggest increase for the state prison system was at the New Hampshire State Prison for Men in Concord that reported 118 active cases, 2 cases in the prison psychiatric units and one at transitional housing units in either Manchester or Concord.
There have been no active cases reported at the New Hampshire Correctional Facility for Women in Concord. The Department of Corrections has a total resident population 2,153.
Last week the National Guard was called in to help as the COVID-19 outbreak continued at the state prison.
National Guard members began training for posts that do not provide direct supervision of residents, including control room and observation posts. Inmates are only tested when they present with symptoms outlined in the CDC guidelines or have been identified during contact-tracing to have had close, prolonged contact with an infected person, according to the website.