Coronavirus updates: Butte County inmate exposes dozens to virus; Placer inmates test positive

Two inmates at the Auburn Main Jail tested positive for COVID-19 on Friday as California passed 4,000 deaths due to the coronavirus.

In a news release, the Placer County Sheriff’s Office said that the inmates were being kept in medical isolation cells last week after contracting mild fevers, a possible sign of infection.

All inmates in the county have been receiving daily temperature tests in order to spot potential coronavirus flare-ups, according to the Sheriff’s Office.

The two inmates were isolated immediately after showing fevers and tested. After the positive results came back, the inmates were moved to special cells equipped with negative air pressure, which prevents airborne transmission between rooms in the same building.

“Both inmates are doing well and will remain in their specialized medical cells until their respective incubation periods have expired,” the Sheriff’s Office said in a statement. “We take the health of our inmates and staff very seriously, and have put protocols in place since the pandemic began, to help prevent an exposure.”

As of Saturday, the Auburn Main Jail was on lockdown to prevent further spread of the disease among inmates and staff.

The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation has reported 1,423 cases of coronavirus and nine deaths among inmates in prisons across the state. A plurality of confirmed cases and all deaths have stemmed from the California Institution for Men in Chino.

Butte County inmate tests positive

The Butte County Sheriff’s Office announced on Friday that one inmate at the county jail tested positive for coronavirus.

The inmate was recently arrested for a serious offense and was booked into the jail while not displaying symptoms, according to the Sheriff’s Office.

The inmate was screened for symptoms, per jail protocol, and housed in the facility with 26 other inmates for two days.

By Friday, the inmate was complaining of shortness of breath, a common symptom of coronavirus, and after evaluation by jail medical staff, was sent to a nearby hospital to be tested for coronavirus.

The inmate was admitted to the hospital after receiving a positive test result and was in stable condition as of Friday.

Butte County deputies and public health employees are working to isolate and test the 26 inmates who were exposed to the infected inmate, a process that will take about two weeks.

The jail is calling for extra cleanings of the housing unit and is giving personal protective equipment to inmates, in addition to daily monitoring by medical staff. Jail staff who may have been exposed are also being tested and monitored, according to the Sheriff’s Office.

“BSCO knew from there start there would be a need to manage COVID-19 cases within the jail and be prepared for that eventuality,” the Sheriff’s Office wrote in a statement. “The jail’s in-house medical providers are very experienced with managing communicable disease within a custodial environment, including COVID-19 in other correctional facilities outside Butte County.”

Prior to the inmate’s positive test results, there have been a total of 11 suspected coronavirus cases at the jail, who all later tested negative. Two inmates who had coronavirus at the time of booking were isolated in the medical unit during the virus’ incubation period.

“We take the health and well-being of our staff and the inmates in our care very seriously,” Sheriff Kory Honea said in a statement. “Our response to the COVID-19 pandemic from the beginning has been about managing the risk of exposure and spread, which is the only reasonable approach to this complex problem. In conjunction with our partners in the medical community, we are using sound protocols to manage this recent, yet anticipated, development. We believe we are well positioned to navigate these challenges.”

Coronavirus by the numbers

Nearly 6 million people have been infected with coronavirus globally, and 366,000 people have died. The United States accounts for nearly a third of all cases, with 1.7 million of its own patients, according to Johns Hopkins University.

California has seen 107,000 cases of coronavirus and just over 4,000 deaths as of Saturday afternoon.

The Mercury News reported that 92 COVID-19 deaths in California were announced on Friday, along with the second-largest daily haul of new cases. Almost 3,000 new cases were reported across the state.

In the four-county Sacramento region, nearly 1,900 people have been infected by the coronavirus, and 89 people have been killed.

Sacramento County health officials have reported 1,400 cases and 56 deaths. On Saturday, 27 new cases were added to the total count, marking another day of increased infection rates. On Friday, 24 new cases were added in the county, and Thursday saw 30 new cases. The last death in the county was reported on May 18.

Yolo County reported three new cases Friday, bringing the total number of infected people there to 210. A total of 24 people have been killed by the virus in the county, with another death reported Friday. Of those deaths, 16 have been connected to Stollwood Convalescent Hospital in Woodland.

Placer County reported 214 cases — which went up by 13 since the day before — and nine deaths as of Saturday afternoon. The increase in cases was the largest in several days. On Friday, three new cases were added. On Thursday, two were added. On Wednesday, six were added.

El Dorado County reported 90 cases of the virus Friday, up six from Thursday. The majority of infections have occurred in the Lake Tahoe area, El Dorado Hills and Diamond Springs. No deaths have been reported in the county.

Sutter County reported 42 cases and two deaths on Thursday. It added two new infections on Monday. Yuba County added one new case on Thursday, bringing its total to 29, and one death.

What is COVID-19? How is the coronavirus spread?

Coronavirus is spread through contact between people within 6 feet of each other, especially through coughing and sneezing that expels respiratory droplets that land in the mouths or noses of people nearby. The CDC says it’s possible to catch the disease COVID-19 by touching something that has the virus on it, and then touching your own face, “but this is not thought to be the main way the virus spreads.”

Symptoms of the virus that causes COVID-19 include fever, cough and shortness of breath, which may occur two days to two weeks after exposure. Most develop only mild symptoms, but some people develop more severe symptoms, including pneumonia, which can be fatal. The disease is especially dangerous to the elderly and others with weaker immune systems.

This story was originally published May 30, 2020 at 12:51 PM.