Middleton House of Correction sees increase in COVID cases

MIDDLETON, Mass. – The Essex County Sheriff’s Department has seen a recent increase in COVID-19 cases at its Middleton facility.  Twenty-five positive cases among inmates have been reported as of today along, with 21 positive results among employees and two positive cases among contractors.  Each case has presented with mild symptoms and no one has required hospitalization. There have been no positive cases at the Department’s other housing facilities – the Essex Pre-Release Center in Lawrence and the Women in Transition Program in Salisbury.

The Department, with the assistance of the MA Department of Public Health, is currently testing all inmates and staff in its efforts to control the outbreak.

“Like with so many other areas across the state, we are seeing a surge in this highly-contagious illness and this is despite having the most rigorous of health and safety protocols in place,” Sheriff Kevin F. Coppinger said. “We continue to work around the clock to fight back against this virus and to ensure the health and safety of all who live and work at our Middleton facility.” 

Since the beginning of the pandemic, the Sheriff’s Department has implemented a number of measures to prevent the introduction and spread of COVID-19 inside the jails. Some of those protocols include 24-hour cleaning and sanitizing of the facility, mandatory masks, and strict social distancing.

As a result of this recent uptick in cases, the Middleton facility is closed to the general public. Movement within the facility has been minimized to mitigate the risk of further transmission. The Department coordinates daily with the courts to minimize inmate transports by using video conferencing and specialized scheduling.