Two inmates at the SLO County Jail infected with coronavirus

July 19, 2020

A week after an employee at the San Luis Obispo County Jail tested positive for the coronavirus, two inmates have also tested positive for the virus.

On July 16, an inmate with a fever and body aches was isolated while a test for coronavirus was processed. The next day, the test came back positive and medical staff conducted a contact tracing investigation to determine who they may have exposed.

On July 18, another inmate complained of a sore throat and was also isolated while a rapid coronavirus test was run. Later that day, the test came back positive and contract tracing was again initiated.

The infected inmates are in good condition, and the housing units where they lived are under quarantine. Medical staff is checking exposed inmates in those units for fever and respiratory symptoms daily.

“This is a high-risk population, in a high-risk setting,” said Chief Medical Officer Dr. Christy Mulkerin. “We have worked hard to keep COVID out of the jail by following CDC and County Public Health guidelines because we want to keep staff, Jail patients, and the community safe.”

An employee at the San Luis Obispo County Jail began coughing at work on July 6 and was sent home and asked to get a coronavirus test. The test came back positive.

It is suspected the employee contracted the virus through community spread, and not at the jail.