Castlemaine’s Loddon (Middleton) Prison Precinct was among six prisons across the state placed into lockdown earlier this week.
The lockdown was carried out as a precaution after a prison officer at Ravenhall Correctional Centre in Melbourne returned a positive result to coronavirus (COVID-19).
The GEO employed staff member had reportedly been self-isolating since July 16 after being notified they were a close contact of a positive case.
The Mail understands a regional radio station reported that Loddon had reported a positive case on Wednesday evening.
However, the department spokesperson told the Mail this was incorrect.
“There have been no confirmed cases at Loddon Prison,” she said.
The precautionary lockdown measures at Loddon and three other prisons were lifted on Thursday afternoon after prisoners tested negative.
Meanwhile four Department of Education staff at the Malmsbury Juvenile Justice Centre have also tested positive.
See the full story in today’s Mail and the update in next Tuesday’s Midland Express.
