Mendocino correctional deputies and inmates test positive for COVID 19

A corrections Deputy employed at the Mendocino County Jail had been off work with an illness.  Per policy the deputy received testing for COVID-19.  On Saturday December 19, 2020 the Corrections Deputy reported to Jail Administration that he had taken a COVID-19 test and received a positive result. 

Working with County Human Resources, contact tracing was immediately done.  Two employees were identified as being potentially exposed and were subsequently tested.  On December 21, 2020, one of those employees received a positive test.  An additional employee reported feeling ill and submitted to COVID-19 testing, and was also found to be positive that same date.

Because of the positive results, Jail Administration reached out to Mendocino County Public Health, who arranged for testing kits for all staff members.  Testing began for all staff members on December 22, 2020.  The Mendocino County Public Health Department also worked to secure test kits so that all of the inmate population and corrections staff can be tested.  Testing has begun and will continue until all inmates and staff have been tested.

In the evening of December 22, 2020, three male inmates reported feeling ill with flu-like symptoms.  On site jail medical staff from Naphcare responded immediately and began testing the three inmates.  The three inmates all tested positive for COVID-19.  Based on those results, the housing unit in which they were assigned was quarantined, following the jail’s COVID-19 policy, to avoid any potential spread of the virus.

In the morning of December 23, 2020, a fourth male inmate from a different housing unit, complaining of flu-like symptoms, was tested and found to be positive.  Again, following the jail’s COVID-19 policy, the housing unit in which the inmate was housed was placed on quarantine.

In addition to the normal cleaning of the jail, a deep cleaning of the jail was performed by staff following the positive findings.

The Sheriff’s Office would like to thank Bekke Emery and her staff for their quick response in assisting us, and providing the necessary testing supplies so that testing can be completed for the safety of inmates and staff.

Working with our partners at the Public Health Department, we will continue working to keep the staff and residents within the Mendocino County Jail safe.

12/24 update:

In a continued effort to identify and contain COVID-19 cases in the Mendocino County Jail, on-site medical staff resumed testing of inmates in quarantined areas of the jail.  As of today, 17 inmates have been identified as having positive test results.

The inmates in these specific areas have been placed on quarantine to prevent any spread into unaffected areas of the jail.  During the quarantine period, jail medical staff will be monitoring the health of the affected inmates.

Further testing will be completed throughout the weekend until all persons housed within the facility are tested as part of our continued effort to keep the staff and residents of the Mendocino County Jail safe.