FARMINGTON – The San Juan County Adult Detention Center reported a total of 118 detainees and two employees tested positive for the coronavirus Wednesday, with four test results still pending.
Of the 118 detainees who tested positive, only one is symptomatic, said county spokesman Devin Neeley.
The series of tests were conducted last week and on Monday for all detainees and staff after a number of cases were reported June 23. Two detainees from the county facility were transferred to new detention centers, where they tested positive for the virus.
The detention center ran contact tracing on people who had been in contact with those two detainees and found 29 positive cases from the first round of tests. All detainees and staff were then tested last week, which found 66 cases.
Neeley said another round of testing for all staff and detainee performed on Monday found 21 new cases, with four tests still pending results on Wednesday.
Since March, the detention center has been conducting weekly testing on 5% of the jail’s population. The county said that weekly testing will continue. There were 314 detainees in the facility as of Wednesday.
The county said detainees who tested positive are being quarantined and closely monitored for additional symptoms.
“We understand that families may have concerns about their loved ones in any of the facilities,” the detention center said in a statement. But it could not release information about detainees over the phone because of privacy concerns.
“Staff is prohibited from disclosing medical information, except under very specific instances,” the statement said. “Please do not call the facilities to inquire about the health of a loved one.”
Neeley said the facility was in close contact with the San Juan County Office of Emergency Management and state department of health to coordinate resources.
lweber@durangoherald.com
