COVID-19 Outbreak At Santa Cruz County Jail

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY, CA — A dozen inmates in the Santa Cruz County Main Jail tested positive for COVID-19 last week, and another 35 to 40 inmates were exposed, the sheriff's office said.

It was the biggest COVID-19 outbreak recorded at the jail, where about 280 inmates were housed as of the Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office announcement Monday. The sheriff's office did not know how many of the sickened inmates were vaccinated as of Monday, said spokesperson Sgt. Daniel Robbins in an email.

The exposed inmates were quarantined as the sheriff's office awaited extensive COVID-19 test results.

The outbreak was discovered following routine testing, the sheriff's office said in a statement. The sick inmates were either asymptomatic or had mild symptoms.

Contact tracing was underway to identify the source of the outbreak.

Medical workers were monitoring the COVID-19 patients, the sheriff's office said.

The jail already had safety measures in place, including requiring correctional officers to wear masks and to test regularly. Inmates brought into the jail received a rapid COVID-19 test and were placed into quarantine until they received a negative result, the sheriff's office said.

Inmates were also offered a COVID-19 vaccine and given masks and extra cleaning materials, the sheriff's office said.

The sheriff's office said it was working closely with county public health officials and the jail's provider of medical services.

The first COVID-19 outbreak in local jails was announced last November, when nine correctional officers tested positive for COVID-19. Officials investigated whether an outbreak among sheriff's office employees after a gathering was held outside of work.

See also: 9 Santa Cruz County Jail Officers Test Positive For COVID-19

View a full list of sheriff's office COVID-19 safety protocols.