SLO County deputies, inmate test positive for coronavirus in new jail outbreak
Five people have contracted COVID-19 as part of a new coronavirus outbreak at the San Luis Obispo County Jail, according to the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office.
Four correctional staff and one inmate tested positive for the virus, the Sheriff’s Office said in a news release Friday.
A recently arrested inmate who was later diagnosed with COVID-19 “had an event requiring custody staff to come to his aid” on Saturday, according the release.
Correctional staff donned personal protective equipment to respond to the undisclosed incident involving the inmate, the release said.
The inmate was then transported to a local hospital where he was diagnosed with coronavirus, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
The inmate was then released from custody.
Four correctional staff have since tested positive for coronavirus, the release said.
The latest jail outbreak comes only three weeks after the Sheriff’s Office declared an end to a widespread outbreak at the county jail that lasted from Dec. 10, 2020, to Jan. 28.
In total, 63 jail inmates and seven sworn staff members tested positive for coronavirus during that outbreak, the Sheriff’s Office said.
As of Feb. 19, a total of 90 inmates and 48 Sheriff’s Office employees, including patrol deputies and correctional staff, have tested positive for coronavirus.
This story was originally published February 19, 2021 at 4:09 PM.
