COVID Outbreak: 39 Inmates At CoCo Jails Test Positive
MARTINEZ (CBS SF) -- Contra Costa County officials revealed Thursday that COVID-19 broke out at its jails, with 39 inmates testing positive for the virus as of that morning.
Contra Costa Health Services (CCHS) announced Thursday that it's investigating the outbreak among inmates at the Martinez Detention Facility and the West Contra Costa Detention Facility in Richmond. Of the 39 infected inmates, none of them required hospitalization, according to county health officials.
CCHS workers said they're determining whether or not the infections are from a single outbreak.
"The outbreak likely began at the Martinez facility, with cases in the Richmond facility associated with a transfer of one or more inmates who later tested positive for the virus, a CCHS statement read. "As COVID-19 is widespread in the community, it is difficult and may not be possible to determine the origin of the outbreak."
The CCHS noted that inmates who test positive for coronavirus under its care are placed into quarantine. The department also tests all staff and inmates who came into contact with the inmate who tested positive.
The news comes just months after a COVID-19 outbreak at San Quentin Prison, which required a judge to order the transfer of 1,700 inmates.
Before inmates are entered into a Contra Costa County detention facility, they are tested and quarantined for at least 14 days. Officials say that inmates can request tests if they show symptoms of coronavirus and many receive multiple tests when asked.
All jail staff are tested every two weeks, according to county officials.
