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An apparent fundraising gathering that took place two weekends ago may have led to a number of COVID-19 cases that have recently come to light at the Lakeview Shock Incarceration Correctional Facility in Brocton.
In a document obtained by the OBSERVER, a polar plunge event took place involving facility staff on Dec. 5 at a location in Sheridan to raise funds for the Special Olympics. "Stop by and cheer on your co-workers!" the invitation stated. "Face masks are mandatory."
Following the plunge, an indoor gathering took place and was reportedly well-attended within the town. Before having the event in Sheridan, the plunge was originally scheduled to happen in Erie County. However, once Erie County became classified as an orange micro-cluster zone, non-residential gatherings become prohibited and cannot include more than 10 people.
The notification of the plunge event was sent to staff by an administrative assistant at the facility. Family members who have since reached out to the OBSERVER said this event was likely the trigger for the recent cases that has led to 13 employees testing positive this month in addition to 35 staff members who have had to quarantine as a result.
"(New York State Correctional Officers Police Benevolent Association) will continue to closely monitor the situation at Lakeview and call on (state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision) to take proactive measures to ensure the safety of all staff and inmates," said James Miller in a recent email to the OBSERVER on Wednesday.
In addition, the number of inmates testing positive for COVID-19 at the facility, as of Thursday, had increased to 11 from zero earlier this week, according to the New York Forward site.
Thomas Mailey, director of public information for the agency, noted on Monday that through Dec. 11, there were 2,169 staff across the state who tested positive for COVID-19 since the pandemic began. On Thursday, however, the dashboard noted a significant rise in staff positives to 2,466 -- an increase of 297 cases.
"The department makes public the confirmed number of staff who have tested positive for COVID-19 and the confirmed number of staff deaths due to the virus, however for security reasons the numbers are not broken down by facility," Mailey said.
On Friday, a significant increase in COVID-19 infections was reported by the Groveland Correctional Facility and visitation was temporarily suspended. Visitation at Attica, Auburn, Bare Hill, Cayuga, Clinton, Wende and Woodbourne Correctional Facilities also remained suspended until further notice.
"The Department takes seriously its duty to ensure the safety and wellbeing of those that work and live in our correctional facilities," the state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision noted on its website. "During this difficult time, the Department is appreciative of everyone's patience and understanding as we continue to face this virus together."
Lakeview Shock Incarceration Correctional Facility is a minimum security level facility for males and females. It is located at 9300 Lake Ave.