Correctional officers, inmates at Port-Cartier prison test positive for COVID-19

The federal penitentiary in Port-Cartier, on Quebec's North Shore, is under lockdown, after two inmates and nine correctional officers tested positive for COVID-19.

The maximum-security institutionis located on Quebec's North Shore, 575 kilometres northeast of Quebec City.

Thetwo inmates, who have been medically isolated from the general population, are the first two confirmed cases in any federal corrections institution in the country,Correctional Service Canada (CSC) said in a written statement.

On March 26, test results showed anemployee at the Port-Cartier Institution was also positive for the novel coronavirus. By Monday, a total of nine workers at Port-Cartier were home with mild symptoms of COVID-19.

Two other cases havealso confirmed at theJoliette Institution for women, 75 kilometres north of Montreal bringing the total number of cases in federal prisons in Quebecto 11.

CSC said it is taking"immediate action when an employee is symptomatic, including thoroughly cleaning and disinfecting the space and ensuring the employee self-isolates at home until cleared to return to work."

Several other measures are now in placeto try to contain the virus, including enhanced screening for anyone entering the institution.All visits withinmates have been suspended.

The union representing federal corrections officers in Quebec, UCCO-SACC-CSN, declinedCBC's request for an interview, saying in a written statement thatwhile both institutions remain locked down, "public health officials continue contact tracing, and provide recommendations to the CSC on mitigating further spread of the virus."

'Domino effect,' nearbymayors fear

As of Monday, there were27 cases of COVID-19 across the North Shore region.

The prison is one of the biggest employers in Port Cartier, along with steel and pulp and paper plants.

Mayor Alain Thibault said the 11 cases connected to the nearbyprisonis worrisome.

"These correctional officers are people who live in our community, so they have been in contact with many other people," said Thibault.

Many of the correctional officers are also volunteers firefighters, Thibault said, and have been in contact with some of their colleagues. Two otherfirefighters are self-isolatingas a precaution.

Nonetheless, Thibault said, he now has a better ideaof the number of cases he may be dealing with in his municipality, since his region's public health officials aren't providing local breakdowns of thenumbers.

While some regions, like Montreal, are providing breakdowns of the number of cases ineach borough, other regional public health authorities are only giving overall numbers,to protect the privacy of people living in smaller towns.

I have the impression we're playing a big chess game with a bandage over my eyes.- Sept-les Mayor Rjean Porlier

But Thibault and other mayors on the North Shore have been asking for more data, to be better equipped to put in place emergency measures if needed.

"We're facing a situation that is new, that is big and difficult to manage, so having the right communication channels will be extremely important," said Thibault.

A spokesperson for the CISSS-Cte-Nord said for the moment, the public health agency "is not planning to give out the data by city."

"Prevention measures, like handwashing and social distancing,should be respected by the entire population," Pascal Paradis wrote in an emailstatement to CBC.

The CISSS Cte-Nord confirmed, however, there are no cases on the Lower North Shore and Caniapiscau, whichincludesFermont, Schefferville, Matimekush-Lac John and Kawawachikamach.

Thibault said the cases in Port-Cartier may have a "domino effect" in the neighbouring city of Sept-les as well, where some correctional officers live.

Mayor Rjean Porlier said people who live in Sept-les drive up and down Highway 138 to work in Port-Cartier, and vice-versa.

He said he wasn't "surprised" to see dozens of cases being confirmed in the region. Buthe'd also like to know in real time where those cases are coming from.

"If there are small pockets of contagion, like at the penitentiary, it's not normal that elected officials are learning about it on the news," Porlier said.

"I have the impression we're playing a big chess game with a bandage over my eyes."

No cases in Quebec jails

The union for provincial correctional officerssaid there areno reported cases among its members.

One inmate at the Sherbrooke jailhas tested positive, however.

The president of the SAPSCQ-CSN, Mathieu Lavoie, said anyone now admitted to a provincial jail is isolated from the rest of the population.

CallingCOVID-19 "an invisible enemy," Lavoie said his members"have always worked behind closed doors."

But he said as in any other workplace, people are anxious.

Workers also have torespect the guidelines of physical distancing set by the government. But Thibaultsaid that is easier said than done, working in suchtight spaces.

"We're trying outbest but the office is only so big, and we are afraid we could run out of protective gear," said Lavoie.