The state Department of Corrections believes two inmates at the Montana Women’s Prison have the COVID-19 illness.
Samples from the inmates were sent to the state public health lab for confirmation earlier this week. The presumed cases were identified as part of the Department of Corrections’ (DOC) effort to test inmates and staff at facilities across the state.
Sentinel testing samples a portion of a population with the goal of identifying carriers of the illness who are not showing symptoms.
DOC has tested 616 inmates and 102 staff members statewide as part of this testing strategy.
The June 9 presumed positive tests from the two women in Billings are the only to return positive. All 194 inmates and 48 staff members at the Women’s Prison were tested after. Their results are pending.
A handful of inmates and a staff member at the Yellowstone County Detention Center in late May tested positive for the illness.
Montana is currently reporting 58 active cases of COVID-19 and 7 hospitalizations.