Manitoba's justice minister says the government is doing everything it can to prevent further spread of a COVID-19 outbreak at the Headingley Correctional Centre.

Cliff Cullen told question period yesterday that prisoner transfers and new admissions have been halted.

The province announced on Tuesday that seven inmates and two staff members tested positive for COVID-19.

The jail has been moved to red on the province's pandemic response system. Officials say that will remain the case for at least two weeks.

The opposition NDP says, however, they feel the government needs to be doing more. "I want to stress that I think it's really important that the government puts in an immediate, comprehensive, robust plan that includes proper PPE for staff and for Manitobans that are currently housed there," Justice critic Nahanni Fontaine says.

Fontaine says she wants to see plans from the government to protect staff and inmates before more outbreaks occur.

Officials say about 150 inmates at Headingley are self-isolating.

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With files from the Canadian Press.