DOUGLAS COUNTY —Health authorities are working through more positive COVID-19 test results at another county jail in Kansas.
On August 20, officials in Douglas County were notified that a staff member at the County Correctional Facility received a positive test result for COVID-19. Inmates in minimum classification had contact with this staff member, according to a media release from the sheriff's office.
As part of their pandemic plan, inmates in minimum housing were moved to an area of the facility that allowed for each of them to be quarantined individually.
Officers and deputies at the facility worked immediately to deep-clean and disinfect the entire exposed area and to wash all laundry in the facility.
COVID-19 tests provided by Lawrence-Douglas County Public Health were administered by the jail medical staff to all inmates in the minimum classification unit and staff members that were in contact with the individual who tested positive.
Over the weekend Douglas County officials learned that d a second staff member at the correctional facility received a positive test result for COVID-19. This individual’s exposure to the virus happened outside of the work environment. All inmates and staff at the facility not tested on Friday are now being tested. This second individual has not been at the facility since it was deep-cleaned and disinfected on Thursday.
All employees at the correctional facility are required to wear PPE at all times and were doing so when in contact with the two individuals who reported positive test results.
All inmates are provided PPE each week, more often if requested. Wearing the PPE was previously a choice inmates were allowed to make. Until further notice all inmates will now be required to wear PPE outside of their individual housing units. Most inmates who had contact with the staff reporting positive cases were wearing PPE.
While not all test results have been returned, officials have not yet received any additional positive results. We will continue to be transparent with the public should any results come back positive.