8 inmates, 3 employees test positive for the coronavirus

Eight inmates and three employees at San Mateo County jails in Redwood City have tested positive for the coronavirus since the start of the pandemic, authorities revealed Thursday.

The inmates were asymptomatic and “were tested as part of our precautionary measures and universal testing,” the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release.

After testing positive, the inmates were placed into quarantine and treated.

The sheriff’s office said half of the inmates are still positive.

The three employees who tested positive were treated and quarantined at home, according to the sheriff’s office.

The sheriff’s office said inmates and employees who may have been in close contact with the infected people were tested, and none of them tested positive.

As of Thursday, the number of inmates at the Maguire Correctional Facility and the Maple Street Correctional Center stood at 291 and 231, respectively, or about 38% of capacity.

“Looking at the average populations of the jails over the past few months, approximately 1.5% of inmates have tested positive for COVID-19,” the sheriff’s office said.

It said COVID-19 protocols remain in place at the jails, including suspensions of all in-person visits and programs.

In addition, new inmates are being screened for the virus and quarantined for 14 days before being transferred to the general population.

Inmates also have access to “appropriate cleaning and sanitizing supplies,” as well as personal protective equipment, and “always will,” according to the sheriff’s office.