According to state officials, a gastrointestinal illness sickened multiple incarcerated people this month at the San Quentin Rehabilitation Center.
Warden Chance Andes, CEO Rhonda Litt and chief physician Shannon Garrigan notified all incarcerated residents on their Viapath tablets on July 5.
“We are seeing residents in the clinic with symptoms of nausea, vomiting and diarrhea,” according to a memo from Garrigan. “We have confirmed a case of Norovirus with laboratory testing.”
As a precautionary measure, the North and South Block housing units were placed on medical quarantine, which affects more than 1,500 incarcerated individuals. Family visiting, purchases at the canteen — a walkup window for snacks and necessities — and packages from outside vendors were halted.
Norovirus is a very contagious illness that can be contracted from contaminated surfaces, food, or liquids. According to the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention, about 900 people die from this gastrointestinal infection annually in the U.S.
Cases on the rise in California
The elderly, the immunocompromised and the very young are the most vulnerable. Cases of norovirus have been climbing in California this year, according to the CDC. It can spread quickly in enclosed spaces like schools, workplaces and cruise ships.
San Quentin is a very overcrowded prison with more than 3,500 residents. It is prone to outbreaks of viruses. The last outbreak of norovirus occurred in 2007, when an estimated 489 prisoners and some employees exhibited symptoms of the virus. But the worst outbreak happened in the summer of 2020 when over 2,000 prisoners contracted the novel coronavirus, which claimed 28 incarcerated lives.
While it is unknown how the virus started, a large number of people have been infected.
“We now have laboratory confirmed cases of Norovirus in all units in South Block, which indicates there is a Norovirus outbreak at San Quentin,” read a July 11 memo from Garrigan and California Correctional Health Care Services.
Primary treatment for the virus is hydration and rest. Residents have been advised to stay hydrated and to wash their hands often with soap for at least 20 seconds, according to another tablet message. Incarcerated individuals were also cautioned that hand sanitizer doesn’t work for norovirus.
On July 9, the medical quarantine was lifted for North Block housing unit, which affects over 700 prisoners. As of Friday, all remaining medical quarantines were lifted. There were no reports of deaths or hospitalizations.
Steve Brooks is a California Local News Fellow with Bay City News Foundation, reporting from inside San Quentin Rehabilitation Center. His perspective gives readers insight into issues and news from inside the prison. See more of his work at Inside/Out on Local News Matters.
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