Essex County Jail Inmate Tests Positive For Coronavirus

MIDDLETON, MA — An inmate at the Essex County Correctional Facility tested positive for the coronavirus on June 17, according to the latest weekly report from the Massachusetts Department of Corrections.

The ruling said people charged with most crimes should be released without bail "unless an unreasonable danger to the community would result, or the individual presents a very high risk of flight." The ruling lets people currently serving sentences of 60 days or fewer to file motions to have their sentences revised or revoked.

Last week's confirmed case of COVID-19 was the first at the jail since June 3, when two inmates tested positive for COVID-19. Since a court order mandating testing and weekly reports in early April, 75 inmates, 16 correctional officers and four staff members at the jail have tested positive for the coronavirus.

The jail has tested 226 inmates, 130 correctional officers and 20 staff members since April 5, including three tests during the week of June 15, the week covered in the most recent report. The previous week's report, covering June 8 through June 14, was the first report where there were no new confirmed cases at the jail.

Dave Copeland writes for Patch and can be reached at dave.copeland@patch.com or by calling 617-433-7851. Follow him on Twitter (@CopeWrites) and Facebook (/copewrites).