Crime & Safety
Inmate Tests Positive For Coronavirus At Santa Rita Jail
An inmate at the Santa Rita Jail in Dublin has tested positive for COVID-19 — the first inmate at the jail to do so — a spokesman said.
DUBLIN, CA — An inmate at the Santa Rita Jail in Dublin has tested positive for the COVID-19 coronavirus, the first inmate at the jail to do so, an Alameda County Sheriff's spokesman said Saturday.
The inmate, whose gender and age were not provided, tested positive on Friday, said Sheriff's Sgt. Ray Kelly. The patient, listed in stable condition Saturday afternoon, is housed in the jail Out Patient Housing Unit (medical unit). The patient has 24-hour health care and is being continuously monitored by medical staff from Wellpath, the jail's medical provider.
Officials at the jail immediately notified the Alameda County Department of Public Health, Sheriff's Office personnel, Wellpath and other contract employees.
Find out what's happening in Dublinwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
An investigation is underway to identify staff and inmates who may have come in close contact with the patient. Prior to diagnosis, the patient had been housed in a two-person cell within a pod and had limited contact with other inmates and staff, Kelly said.
The impacted pods have been quarantined and are being professionally cleaned and sanitized. In addition, the inmates housed in the quarantined pods will receive enhanced monitoring by Wellpath medical professionals.
Find out what's happening in Dublinwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Kelly said that over the past several weeks, jail management has been working with Wellpath and the Alameda County Public Health Department to develop, test and validate the Wellpath Master Outbreak Control Plan.
Over the past several weeks, the jail has implemented more stringent processes for everyone entering the jail. Inmates have been issued surgical masks, and educational videos detailing hygiene, physical distancing, and other health practices for COVID-19 have been recorded and played over closed-circuit television in the jail.
Also, the Sheriff's Office has worked with the judicial system to reduce the inmate population by nearly 600 inmates.
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