Chicken Pox Outbreak At Maximum Security Prison (MSP) — 79 Persons Infected

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The Trinidad and Tobago Prison Service is informing the public and all relevant stakeholders of the presence of the varicella virus (Chicken Pox) among the inmate population at the Maximum Security Prison. A total of seventy-nine (79) persons have reportedly contracted Chicken Pox during the outbreak since November 2025.

The Prison Officers’ Association of Trinidad and Tobago have also confirmed the outbreak in a Facebook post on Friday (9th January, 2026), saying, “There is an outbreak at the Maximum Security Prison of Chicken Pox. We advise our members to adhere to the strictest protocols to reduce the risk of transmission to your self or your family. The Trinidad and Tobago Prison Service has a duty of care to our Officers, inmates and by extension, the society at large. In times like this, the glaring deficiencies become even more evident.”

In a Media Release this afternoon (Saturday 10th January, 2026), the Prison Service said following the detection of the first recorded case on 11th November, 2025, “medical intervention and oversight was guided through direct collaboration with and professional recommendations of the Prisons Medical Officer (PMO), the Prisons Health Services, the Ministry of Health (MOH) and the County Medical Officer of Health (CMOH), St. George, to manage and contain the situation.”

According to the Prison Service, “Over the sixty-one (61) days' period of our management, there have been seventy-two (72) cases of inmates and seven (7) Officers contracting the Chicken Pox. As of today's date, twenty-nine (29) inmates are actively being treated at the containment unit. Forty-three (43) inmates have been discharged by the Prisons Medical Officer after medical examination and placed back into the general inmate population. Seven (7) members of our prison staff are on sick leave for Chicken Pox.”

The Prison Service said it wishes to clarify that, at this time, “cases recorded are strictly confined to the Maximum Security Prison. There have been no cases reported at any other correctional facility.” To effectively mitigate the spread of the virus, the following measures have been implemented:

  • Medical screening of inmates by infirmary staff for early detection.
  • Hourly sanitization of shared spaces.
  • Designated Isolation: A specific building at the Maximum Security Prison has been repurposed as a dedicated isolation area. All confirmed cases are relocated to this zone for a mandatory period of twenty-one (21) days.
  • Medical Clearance: Inmates remain in quarantine until they undergo a medical re-examination by the Prisons Medical Officer for medical clearance before re-admission into the general population.

The Prison Service added, “The safety of our Officers is a primary concern and in alignment with MOH recommendations, appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), approved mask and gloves, have been issued to the Officers assigned to the Maximum Security Prison, to be utilized during the execution of their duties. Further, dialogue was communicated to all personnel about the available preventative vaccine. Medical management support is also communicated to staff who contract the Chicken Pox during periods of mandatory sick leave and quarantine.”

The Media Release concluded by saying, “The Prison Service remains committed to maintaining a healthy environment and will continue to monitor the situation closely. Further updates will be provided as the situation evolves.”

More on this as it becomes available.

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