All correctional facilities are suspending personal visits starting Friday in an effort to slow the spread of the coronavirus that causes the COVID-19 disease, Department of Public Safety Director Nolan Espinda announced today.

“We understand how important visits are to the inmates as well as their family members, but we also understand that COVID-19 may eventually be present at one of our facilities and that is why, out of an abundance of caution, we are suspending personal visits at our facilities statewide,” Espinda said in a news release today. “The health and safety of the public, our staff and the inmates they oversee is of paramount importance to us, and we are taking steps to protect them.”

DPS said there are no inmates have the disease. It said the health care staff is cleaning and sanitizing “high-use areas” more often and ensuring that cleaning material and hand soap are available.