Thursday morning the St. Joseph County Jail went on lock-down after a newly-arrived inmate tested positive for the virus.
The move was made out of an abundance of caution to minimize the movement of staff and inmates and investigate other possible exposures. Those who were possibly exposed were isolated for further testing and evaluation. The area of exposure was believed to be limited to the jail’s medical isolation unit.
Release:
St. Joseph County Jail on Lock Down
Early this morning as a precautionary safety measure, the inmate pods in the St. Joseph County jail were put on lock down following a test result of a positive COVID-19 newly arrived inmate. The lock down was ordered by the Sheriff & Warden to limit staff and inmate movement with the jail while jail staff and medical investigate any other possible COVID-19 exposures, isolate and test those potentially exposed. The inmates are only locked down within their pods not their bunk cells, and they still have access to the day room and telephones.
At this time the area of exposure is limited only to the jail medical isolation unit. The asymptomatic inmate has been treated by jail staff as a possible positive since his arrival on Monday from Westville Correctional. The inmate has been handled via all jail COVID protocols, including being masked and housed only within the jail’s medical isolation since his arrival at the jail. The suspected individual has tested positive for COVID-19 and any potentially exposed jail staff or jail trustees will be precautionarily tested and isolated.
As of May 6th, the jail medical staff have tested and isolated over 54 inmates, all returning negative.
