Eight inmates at the Charlotte County Jail have tested positive for COVID-19, according to a news release from the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Department. With a capacity to hold up to a thousand inmates, there are usually between 600-800 in jail depending on the day, according to Skip Conroy, the Sheriff's Office's media relations manager.
The eight inmates are experiencing mild symptoms and are being cared for by on-site medical staff, according to the Sheriff’s Office. All eight were from two housing units, which have both been placed on lockdown. The release goes on to say that in order to prevent the spread of the virus, inmates within these units are now in isolation and do not have contact with others.
As far as preventative measures in place before this outbreak, the sheriff’s office says new people booked into the jail are all placed in a 14-day quarantine, and all jail staff have their temperatures checked before starting their shift, practice social distancing, and wear masks. The news release also states that sanitizing and cleaning is occurring frequently. To learn more about the Charlotte County Jail’s COVID-19 procedures, click here.
