An additional inmate and San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's deputies have tested positive for COVID-19, officials say.
In a press release, officials with the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Office said a patrol deputy, two more correctional deputies and an inmate at the jail have tested positive for the novel virus.
This is the department's first patrol deputy to contract the virus.
The patrol deputy was tested last week after experiencing a cough, stopped working on Wednesday, July 15th and later received positive results on Friday, July 17th, sheriff's officials said.
According to the Sheriff's Office, the patrol deputy wore a face mask when interacting with the public.
With the help of the SLO County Public Health Department, officials conducted a contact tracing investigation and placed affected staff members in quarantine.
In addition, two more correctional deputies who work at the jail tested positive for COVID-19 last week.
This brings the total number of sworn staff members at the SLO. Co. Sheriff's Office to four.
The first sheriff's deputy tested positive on July, 9th.
Sheriff's officials said those deputies developed symptoms after their shifts on July 10th and 11th, but wore masks during their interactions with inmates.
Authorities said in a press release, "The housing areas where they worked have been quarantined, the monitoring of inmates continues as well as testing of inmates and staff per the recommendations of County Public Health."
Another inmate at the county jail also tested positive bringing the total to three inmates.
According to the Sheriff's Office, the inmate was asymptomatic and was discovered and isolated Sunday after testing everyone in that same housing unit.
So far, more than 300 inmates have been tested for COVID-19 with 50 of those tests conducted in the past 24 hours, officials said.
