Middlesex County Jail Sees 7 Positive Coronavirus Cases

Just a few days after the Middlesex Sheriff's Office announced the jails had been free of the coronavirus for five straight weeks, seven new positive cases have been confirmed in the Middlesex County Jail. The jail said all seven of the cases are asymptomatic and six are in a minimum security building, separate from the main building.

The seventh person who tested positive entered the jail after testing positive in the community.

All six minimum security cases are currently suspected to be as a result of community-based contacts outside the Middlesex Jail & House of Correction — those six people are part of the Work Release and Community Work Program.

All seven have been placed in medical isolation. These are the first positive tests in inmates since mid-May.

On Tuesday morning, the MSO received the initial positive result on a COVID test that was given to an inmate as part of his preparation for potential parole. After the positive test, the jail tested 28 other people living in the building. Five tests came back positive and 23 negative.

“While the incredible efforts of our staff to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 resulted in six straight weeks without a positive test, we were always cognizant the virus could return – most likely as a result of a community contact or through a new arrestee,” said Middlesex Sheriff Peter J. Koutoujian. “With a constant flow of new admittances – nearly 750 since March 1 – it was never a matter of if we’d see more cases, but when – and we have been prepared to respond immediately.”

People in the Work Release program are eligible to leave the facility to take part in employment activities at community-based job sites and are monitored by GPS while outside the facility. Those involved in the Community Work Program take part in both onsite and offsite painting, cleanup, beautification and other projects under the direct supervision of a correction officer.