North Bay Jail closed for at least two weeks due to COVID-19 outbreak

North Bay -

Around 61 inmates from the North Bay Jail are being transferred to other facilities as a result of a COVID-19 outbreak, the province confirmed Thursday.

The inmates are being moved to facilities able to isolate them from the general population, the Office of the Solicitor General confirmed to CTV News in an email.

The jail in North Bay will be closed for a minimum of 14 days to allow facility staff to self isolate and to reduce the risk of transmission in the community, the province said.

“All appropriate COVID-19 related protocols are in place at the receiving facilities, and the inmates from the North Bay Jail who are COVID-19 positive will be isolated from the rest of the inmate population under droplet precautions at the receiving facilities while they receive appropriate medical care,” the email said.

In all, 33 people at the North Bay Jail have tested positive for COVID-19 as of June 22, the North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit said. That includes 32 inmates and one staff member.