SAN DIEGO — After an inmate tested positive for COVID-19, contact tracing at the George Bailey Detention Facility led to 46 positive cases out of the 106 tests conducted.
According to a release by the San Diego County Sheriff on Tuesday, a man was booked on DUI charges on February 15 into the San Diego Central Jail and was quarantined for 7 days per the department's protocol related to COVID-19 safety.
After being transferred to the George Bailey Detention Center, the inmate began showing flu-like symptoms and was transported to a hospital where he tested positive for COVID-19.
Contact tracing identified 106 inmates that may have had potential contact with the inmate. Of the tests, 46 returned positive and 60 were negative.
Those inmates that tested positive were moved into isolation in cell-style units that allow less exposure than other units. Protocol for those that test positive is that they must remain in isolation for at least 14 days.
In response to this incident, the Sheriff's Department statement said: "As our nation continues to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Sheriff's Department will evaluate any key information learned through contact investigations and adjust accordingly. Our protocols to date have been effective in limiting COVID-19 cases within our jail system. Existing practices at our intake facilities allow for the accommodation of symptomatic inmates at the time of booking. Early on in our COVID-19 response, we reduced our overall population through a combination of releases and modified booking criteria. Our jail population has been stable at nearly 4,000 inmates; however, consideration will be given to conducting additional releases if necessary as we continue to monitor our population and the COVID-19 pandemic."
To see the current safeguard surrounding COVID-19 and people in custody, visit the San Diego Sheriff's COVID-19 Response page.
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