JANESVILLE, Wis. — Three inmates tested positive at the Rock County jail on Tuesday, only one of which remains in custody Wednesday morning, according to Rock County Sheriff’s Office officials. A statement released Wednesday morning said officials are currently waiting on test results for 74 inmates, based on contact tracing efforts Tuesday.
Sheriff Troy Knudson in a press release said the testing was initiated by two inmates reporting mild symptoms to staff. Commander Erik Chellevold told News 3 Now on Wednesday morning that only three COVID-19 tests have been conducted on inmates at the jail over the course of the year prior to yesterday’s testing, but that doesn’t include inmates sent out for testing prior to being admitted to the jail.
Inmates are kept in a two-week quarantine prior to release into the general population, but are not tested as part of that process. When asked whether inmates had displayed symptoms but not been tested prior to Tuesday when two inmates reported symptoms, Commander Chellevold said that inmates routinely report symptoms to nurses but do not necessarily get tested for COVID-19. Nursing staff make that decision based on a general medical exam, but do not have written policies in place specifically related to COVID-19 that would prompt testing, according to Chellevold.
“Sheriff’s Office staff continue to practice extensive cleaning protocols including our Skytron 1140 UV Light Robot,” the press release stated. “We have been in contact with the Rock County Public Health Department to ensure the safety of our staff and inmate population.”
This story will be updated.
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