An outbreak of COVID-19 at San Francisco's County Jail No. 3 in San Bruno has put 42 inmates in isolation as the number of confirmed cases climbs, according to an announcement from the Sheriff's Office on Tuesday. The facility, which holds the largest inmate population among the city's jails, has been particularly hit, with the sheriff's office relaying that a significant 3.3% of its inmates tested positive on Tuesday. Following an increase in cases starting June 20th, swift actions were undertaken by the jail staff to segregate those affected from the rest of the facility's inmates, and protocols have been put in place to ensure regular testing for those considered high-risk, as reported by KRON4.
Jail staff and other personnel, including peace officers, nurses, and teachers, have been urged to don N-95 or KN-95 masks. Meanwhile, test kits have been made widely available to curb the further spread of the virus, and guidance has been provided to any symptomatic individual to avoid coming to work. Symptoms such as fever, cough, congestion, sore throat, and body aches indicate infection. Yet no deaths or hospitalizations have been associated with this particular outbreak as of Wednesday morning, a comforting piece of news amidst rising tensions, the Sheriff's Office spokesperson Tara Moriarty provided this detail, per the San Francisco Chronicle.
While this outbreak raises concerns inside the correctional facility, it is part of a broader pattern of increasing COVID-19 infections state-wide, with emergency room visits related to the virus rising by roughly 16% in one week and test positivity rates jumping to 7.5%, the highest mark reported at this period since 2022. Public Defender Mano Raju cited the recent outbreak as only the latest in a "long line of ongoing crises" at the jails, which includes frequent lockdowns and escalating inmate numbers that enhance the workload on attorneys. Raju shared his insights, as per the San Francisco Chronicle, commenting on the rippling effects through the justice system: "This COVID outbreak will add more time and trauma for those in jail, further delay justice proceedings, and create even higher caseloads for our attorneys."
