County jail has 32 positive cases of COVID-19 among detainees
The jail had its first cases of COVID-19 around May 20
- Two detainees transported from the San Juan County Adult Detention Center tested positive at their new facility.
- All 369 detainees and 181 staffers will be tested on June 25.
- Anyone seeking medical information on a detainee are asked to contact the detainee at the jail, as staff cannot share that information due to HIPAA.
FARMINGTON — The San Juan County Adult Detention Center reported 32 positive cases of the coronavirus in detainees, leading to all staff and detainees in the facility being tested this week.
The county government made the announcement in a press release issued on the evening of June 23.
Two detainees who were transported from the Andrea Drive facility prompted the testing of a larger section of the detainee population, according to San Juan County Spokesman Devin Neeley.
Those two detainees tested positive for the coronavirus at the detention center to which they were transferred, Neeley said.
That led to 56 detainees being tested on June 21.
Of the 32 positive cases reported on June 23, 29 were from the round of testing on June 21, Neeley said.
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Two detainees previously tested positive for COVID-19 and one detainee tested positive while being booked into the jail, according to Neeley.
There are additional tests pending from the round of testing on June 21.
The testing is conducted by Wellpath, the company that provides detainee medical services.
It was announced on May 20 that the county jail had eight positive tests for the coronavirus from seven detainees and one contract employee, according to The Daily Times archives.
At the time, 275 detainees and 186 staffers were tested and no detainees nor staff at the San Juan County Juvenile Detention Center tested positive.
The county jail had a detainee population of 369 as of June 22, according to Neeley.
The 369 detainees and 181 staffers will all be tested for the coronavirus on June 25, according to Neeley.
Those who tested positive are being isolated from the rest of the detainees.
Neeley said 30 of the positive cases the jail reported on June 23 were included in 41 new cases that Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham's office announced on the same day for San Juan County.
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Anyone seeking medical information on a detainee are asked to contact the detainee at the jail, as staff cannot share that information due to HIPAA.
Joshua Kellogg covers breaking news for The Daily Times. He can be reached at 505-564-4627 or via email at jkellogg@daily-times.com.
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