Coronavirus Cases Spike Among Orange County Jail Inmates

ORANGE COUNTY, CA — Ramped-up testing of inmates in Orange County's jails has led to a significant boost in the number of COVID-19 cases, but a sheriff's spokeswoman said most of the infected are asymptomatic.

On Wednesday, the Orange County Sheriff's Department reported 26 inmates had tested positive for coronavirus. Those inmates had symptoms, which prompted testing.

But with more access to testing materials this week, sheriff's officials began testing inmates who had been quarantined because they had come into contact with sick inmates. That led to an increase in COVID-19 cases, to 82 positive, said Carrie Braun of the Orange County Sheriff's Department.

Of the 147 tests administered cumulatively since the first positive case in the jails last month, 56 came back negative, Braun said.

The expanded testing began Wednesday, Braun said. Only a couple of the cases that tested positive since Wednesday involved inmates showing symptoms, Braun said.

"We're not seeing a drastic increase of symptomatic individuals," she said. "But because of more tests available, we're seeing a high amount of those people (who had been asymptomatic in quarantine) coming back positive."

To date, none of the inmates have required hospitalization, she said.

Three deputies have tested positive for coronavirus, she said. They also did not require hospitalization, she added.

—City News Service

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