DAVENPORT, IOWA (May 29, 2020) — The Scott County Sheriff has announced the first positive case of COVID-19 in the Scott County Jail. Recently an inmate was booked into the jail on new charges. Prior to being brought to jail, the inmate, who was not showing symptoms, was tested for COVID-19 based on a statement that the inmate believed they would test positive.
Sheriff Lane said, “We knew that it was only a matter of time. The day was going to come that the staff of the Scott County Jail would have to deal directly with a known positive case of COVID-19.”
The jail is well-equipped for a single infectious case, having been built with an isolation cell with negative air pressure that vents out of the building. Protocols established within the jail help protect other inmates from those who have the virus.
Staff involved in the arrest, transport, and pre-isolation procedures have been undergoing testing and further evaluation. Sheriff’s Office staff are considered essential workers under CDC guidelines.
