Sheriff Kevin Henderson says his jail in Ontario County is dealing with COVID-19.
He said in a press release late-Friday that two inmates tested positive. “Both inmates have been quarantined in our medical unit, and at no time were in our general population housing units,” the Sheriff said. “One inmate who was in mandatory 15 day quarantine for a new admission began to present symptoms and a COVID test was performed. The test was positive, and the inmate is now housed in a negative pressure cell in our medical unit.”
He says the second inmate was brought into the facility on an arrest warrant. “During the medical screening the inmate presented symptoms and a COVID test was performed, which was positive,” Henderson added. “The inmate was placed in a negative pressure cell in the medical unit as well and both inmates are being treated by medical staff.”
The virus prompted certain protocols to be in place, but Sheriff Henderson says additional changes are coming now.
“Our correctional facility has established protocols and guidelines in place for COVID related issues. Our facility has the negative pressure cells for matters such as this, which gives us the ability to isolate inmates that have an air borne virus,” Sheriff Henderson continued. “We continue to follow the guidelines from the CDC and Ontario County Public Health in order to do our best with the challenges that the COVID virus is presenting. Effective Monday, December 21st we will be suspending our non-contact visit program. In March, I had suspended contact visits and have continued to do this and we now feel that non-contact visits should also be suspended.”
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