IDOC: Illness at Danville prison is virus

DANVILLE, Ill. — State officials say testing shows an illness outbreak at Danville Correctional Center that caused a partial lockdown was caused by a respiratory virus and not influenza.

Illinois Department of Corrections spokesman Tom Shaer says in a Sunday statement that the illness is in the Adenovirus class and causes flu-like symptoms. Those include fever, sore throat and chest pains.

He says that the health care staff at the prison identified the outbreak and took “appropriate isolation and quarantine” procedures.

Prison officials say 71 inmates have been infected, including eight new cases on Saturday. There are 1,835 inmates total.

Various parts of the prison remain in different modes of lockdown to prevent the spread.

The virus is highly contagious.

No visitors are being allowed into the prison for the time being.