Second jail inmate has COVID-19. Sedgwick County will offer testing to staff, inmates

The second inmate to test positive for the coronavirus disease has been released from the Sedgwick County Jail to isolate at home, officials said.

The Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office said Wednesday in a news release that an inmate reported being sick on Saturday and was tested on Monday because he had symptoms of COVID-19. The positive test result came back on Wednesday, and the inmate was released from the jail and told to isolate at home.

The infected inmate is not connected to a previous case reported on Monday, sheriff’s spokesman Lt. Tim Myers said.

The sheriff’s office medical provider will offer testing to 12 staff members and 49 inmates who may have had contact with the sick inmate. Jailers moved 47 inmates into quarantine until they are medically cleared and two inmates who reported symptoms of COVID-19 have been placed in isolation.

An additional three inmates who were released from the detention facility before the test result came back will be contacted by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. The sheriff’s office will also contact judges, the district attorney’s office and defense attorneys about the COVID-19 case.

“We are continuing to maintain sanitization standards to take care of our staff and inmates which include issuing extra soap, and having disinfectant available as needed,” Myers said. “All staff members have been issued masks to wear, and all inmates have been issued face coverings for the last several months. We also have a full medical staff on site. Additionally we have employed a contractor to sterilize the facility.”

“The safety and health of our staff, community and inmates is paramount.”

This story was originally published July 22, 2020 at 5:00 PM.