9 Inmates At Santa Rita Jail Still Recovering From COVID-19
DUBLIN (CBS SF) - Alameda County Assistant Sheriff Thomas Madigan told the county Board of Supervisors on Tuesday that nine inmates at the Santa Rita Jail in Dublin currently have confirmed coronavirus infections.
Madigan said a total of 35 inmates at the county jail have tested positive for COVID-19 at some point but all but nine of them have completely recovered.
In response to a question from Supervisor Wilma Chan, Madigan said none of the inmates who have tested positive for the virus have had to be hospitalized.
"Thankfully we've only had mild cases," Madigan said.
Jail officials are following all federal, state and local regulations in cleaning Santa Rita to make sure it's as safe as possible, Madigan said.
Areas where infected inmates and staff members have been are decontaminated by professional cleaners and special ultraviolet equipment that typically is used in hospitals will be delivered to the jail next week to help further sanitize the facility, he said.
Board of Supervisors President Richard Valle visits the jail every Friday to make sure it is safe and to conduct virtual community meetings to take phone calls from members of the public who have concerns about the jail, according to Madigan.
The number of inmates at Santa Rita has declined from about 2,600 on March 1 to 1,724 as of Tuesday because a large number of low-level offenders have been released from custody to reduce overcrowding that could lead to COVID-19 transmissions, Madigan said.
The Board of Supervisors was scheduled to have a hearing on Tuesday on Sheriff Gregory Ahern's proposal for $85 million in funding to hire an extra 216 sworn and 47 non-sworn positions and hire 107 health service employees over the next three years.
But the matter, which previously had been postponed several times, was postponed again, this time for two weeks, because Valle wasn't present because his father died.
The board adjourned its meeting in honor of Valle's father.
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