Prison Inmates at Shutter Creek Suffer Gastrointestinal Illness

Officials are trying to pin down the cause of the gastrointestinal sickness affecting about a third of the inmate population.

Female inmates being processed into Sutter Creek Photo: Dept. of Corrections

(NORTH BEND, Ore.) - A gastrointestinal illness affecting approximately one-third of the inmates at Shutter Creek Correctional Institution in North Bend, on the Oregon Coast, has caused the facility to cancel visiting for the upcoming weekend.

According to a spokesperson from the Department of Corrections Health Services, the problem began Thursday night and had become more widespread by Friday morning, causing the cancellation of visiting for Saturday and Sunday, November 3rd and 4th.

At this time the cause of the gastrointestinal problem which is affecting approximately one-third of the inmate population is under investigation.

Symptoms inmates are suffering from are nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. State public health authorities are working with SCCI staff, and at this time no inmates have required outside medical care as a result of this illness.

Inmate visiting for Saturday and Sunday, November 3rd and 4th will be cancelled, as will outside inmate work crews for Monday, November 5th.

Shutter Creek Correctional Institution is a minimum-security prison in North Bend with 280 beds. The population today is 16 women and 231 men.

Source: Oregon Corrections