NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — A Norfolk City Jail inmate has tested positive for COVID-19, the first positive test result involving an inmate at the jail, the Norfolk Sheriff’s Office says.
In a press release Thursday afternoon, the sheriff’s office says the inmate is in “good” condition, in medical isolation, and has spoken to loved ones via telephone.
The inmate’s floor was placed on a 14-day quarantine at the onset of the inmate’s symptoms, the sheriff’s office says, per guidance from the Virginia Department of Health’s Epidemic Team and the Centers for Disease Control, and the sheriff’s office is partnering with Sentara Healthcare to expedite testing of all inmates on that floor to help avoid potential asymptomatic spread of the coronavirus.
All staff who work in that part of the jail will also be tested, with results expected within 24 to 48 hours, the sheriff’s office says.
The news comes just days after the sheriff’s office announced four of its deputies had tested positive for COVID-19.
With outbreaks happening across congregate living facilities in Virginia such as jails and nursing homes, Norfolk Sherrif Joe Baron says it was not a matter of if the virus would infiltrate the jail, but when.
“While this news is disheartening, it is not surprising, Baron said. “Our fight against COVID-19 is an aggressive one. We have decreased the jail population to record lows, have enacted
numerous proactive safety measures, and today we will test more than 60 people to identify anyone who may be an asymptomatic spreader of COVID-19. We must all do our part to slow the spread of this virus.”
Locally, COVID-19 cases have also been reported at the Hampton Roads Regional Jail. 2 Virginia Beach deputies and a Chesapeake Correctional Center contractor also tested positive earlier this month, officials said.
The Virginia Department of Corrections, which does not have jurisdiction over local jails, reports 236 COVID-19 cases at its facilities statewide, with 8 hospitalizations and 1 death. 57 of the cases involve staff members.
The Norfolk Sheriff’s Office says it’s also implemented these measures:
• Screening any admits before being booked into the jail
• Stopping any non-essential personnel from entering the jail (such as volunteers and contractors)
• Placing all new admits in a 14-day medical observation before entering general population
• Working with courts, public defender, and Commonwealth’s Attorney to lower jail population by nearly 30%
(a 40-year low)
• Providing PPE to staff and inmates as needed
• Requiring masks for jail staff
• Establishing isolation and quarantine protocols
• Establishing environmental team to thoroughly clean and disinfect all areas multiple times per day
• Educating inmates on good hygiene and COVID-19 symptoms
• Waiving medical co-pays for any inmate experiencing COVID-19 related symptoms
The sheriff’s office says weekly updates on the number of cases involving deputies and inmates at the jail will be posted at their coronavirus webpage by 3 p.m. each Friday.
