RENO COUNTY —Jail employees in Reno County are in self-quarantine after an inmate tested positive for coronavirus.
Last weekend an arrestee was booked into the Reno County Correctional facility for felony drug distribution charges, according to Reno County Sheriff Darrian Campbell.
Initial screening of the inmate indicated siblings in the household were positive. Upon further investigation by arresting Deputies the 911 Dispatch Center in the jurisdiction he/she resided in was contacted, early morning hours the Health Department was not open. The inmate’s address or siblings’ names were not confirmed as being positive or being tracked by that agency at the time.
Mid-morning Tuesday, May 18, after court, bond was not lowered, and the inmate indicated she resides with two family members who are positive for COVID-19.
The inmate was moved to quarantine immediately and the other inmates she was housed with were locked down in individual cells.
Through the Reno County Health Department, we were able to confirm there were two siblings positive for COVID-19 at the inmate’s address. The inmate was tested and the sample was sent to the lab. Late afternoon of the 20th the results came back positive for COVID-19.
Currently there are seven inmates identified which have been isolated and will be tested Thursday. The samples will be sent to the lab. There are nine employees which have been identified as having direct contact with the inmate and are in self quarantine. They were to be tested Thursday morning, according to Campbell.
At this time, the sheriff's department believes all persons which have had direct contact with this individual have been identified and put on notice for isolation and testing.