DAVENPORT, Iowa — A COVID-19 outbreak has taken place at Scott County Jail after one inmate was the first positive test earlier this month.
A total of 25 inmates have tested positive and only two are symptomatic, according to a press release from Chief Deputy Sheriff Shawn Roth on Tuesday, Nov. 15.
The sheriff's office reported there had been a mix of fully vaccinated and unvaccinated inmates who tested positive, but they did not give a specific number.
Only 12 inmates remained positive and were in quarantine as of Tuesday.
Of the about 310 inmates housed this month at the jail, only 12 inmates remained positive and were in quarantine as of Tuesday.
Roth said the first signs of the virus came from a Scott County inmate, who was in jail for several months before testing positive on Nov. 2.
"This was the first indication that the virus had made it past preventative measures which were put in place at the beginning of the pandemic," Roth said in the release.
One inmate who tested positive had worked in the jail kitchen as part of Scott County Jail's laundry and food preparation services.
The services are now being done temporary by the jail's already short-handed correctional staff while a group of new inmate workers are being trained. Scott County Sheriff's Office said they are down 10 officers and an additional four are out after testing positive for COVID-19.
The positive cases were limited to the general population, dorm and female housing unit. The booking area, intake housing, flex housing and special management did not have any positive cases.
"The Scott County Jail has been fortunate to not have any previous outbreaks during this pandemic," Roth said.