BUENA VISTA – Three cases of the COVID-19 variant originating in South Africa have been reported at a correctional facility in Colorado, officials said.
The Colorado State Public Health Laboratory said two employees and one inmate tested positive after being randomly selected for tests intended to detect potential variants, KDVR-TV reported. They are now in quarantine.
The state lab is expected to check all confirmed COVID-19 positive results for the variant. People who test negative for COVID-19 and its variants are expected to receive vaccinations, including family members and those who have been in close contact with workers at the facility.
The vaccinations at the facility are part of a health department policy that has prioritized people “for emerging risk of rapid spread of COVID-19,” health officials said.
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment is investigating an outbreak at the facility that began in October. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the variant from South Africa spreads quickly and is more contagious.
The Buena Vista Correctional Complex is a state prison for men about 100 miles west of Colorado Springs.
For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some – especially older adults and people with existing health problems – it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, and death.