Kings health officials confirm big increase in COVID-19 cases due to testing at Avenal Prison

Kings County, with its 647 total cases and 184 persons recovered with just two deaths, has the third most cases, behind Tulare with 1,641, and Fresno, with 1,482 cases, in the central San Joaquin Valley.

According to the latest figures, a significant portion of Kings County’s cases come from the recent outbreak at the local prison, and Central Valley Meat Company, a Hanford-based company that reported 182 cases, 115 of whom are from Kings County.

Meatpacking plants have been hit especially hard by the coronavirus, inflicting damage in numerous plants across the United States.

The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation reports on its website (May 24) stated that there are currently 904 incarcerated persons with active cases of COVID-19.

Of the new cases, Kings County’s Department of Public Health reports confirms that 115 of the new cases are among inmates at the long-standing prison in Avenal. The source of the other 15 cases is under investigation.

The drastic increase in positive cases in the prison is due to extensive testing that is currently being carried out through a partnership between KCDPH, ASP, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) and the California Department of Public Health (CDPH).

“Our number one priority is the health and safety of all those who live and work in our state prisons,” said California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) Press Secretary Dana Simas said.

“Avenal State Prison is currently testing as many inmates and staff as possible with the assistance of the Kings County Public Health team and resources from the CDCR and California Correctional Health Care Services (CCHCS) COVID-19 response teams. We are following isolation and quarantine guidance from public health experts to help curtail the potential spread of the virus. Health care staff conduct screenings multiple times daily to quickly identify anyone with new symptoms.”

KCDPH has determined that 115 out of the 130 new cases contracted the disease through close contact with a confirmed case. The exposure of the remaining 15 new cases is still under investigation. Of the total active cases, 12 are being treated in isolation, and all other cases have been quarantined. 

The below list depicts the current situation in Kings County:

Total Cases: 647

• 3 (Travel Related)
• 403 (Close Contact)
• 51 (Community Transmission)
• 190 (Under Investigation)

Total Deaths: 2

Recovered: 184