JEFFERSON CITY — Missouri’s 20 state-run prisons are closed to visitors in response to the outbreak of coronavirus.

In a statement issued Thursday, the Department of Corrections said there have been no cases of the virus diagnosed within the estimated 26,000 inmates.

Because correctional centers are confined spaces where people have close contact, the agency is suspending offender visiting for the next 30 days.

“While we recognize that visiting is an essential part of rehabilitation, the department must protect the health and wellness of all who live in, work in, and visit state prisons,” the statement notes.

Attorney visits will be permitted and will be scheduled through the deputy warden or warden’s office at each facility.