Travis County Jail confirms first inmate coronavirus case

Travis County Jail reported Thursday that an inmate has tested positive for the coronavirus, the facility’s first case since the beginning of the pandemic.

A news release from the Travis County sheriff’s office said the inmate has been in custody for three days under quarantine. County officials said they were notified of the positive result earlier Thursday.

“The inmate was put in quarantine upon intake based on answers given to CDC guideline questions,” the release said.

The inmate will now be moved to a confirmed positive unit of the county jail’s quarantine unit, according to the news release.

Travis County Jail, which had avoided coronavirus cases among its inmates until now, was a notable exception among jails and prisons across the state, with many becoming hotspots for the virus.

However, a total of seven sheriff’s office employees have tested positive for COVID-19 according to county officials. Two of them — including one individual who was reported ill Tuesday — are administrative and support staff. The five others are correctional officers.

Travis County has implemented quarantine protocols to isolate inmates who are experiencing virus-like symptoms. It has also implemented a mandatory isolation period for all newly booked inmates that can last between 10 to 14 days.

The county said inmates who are under quarantine will be kept in isolated, single-occupancy cells. It added that it is now in the middle of conducting contact tracing protocols.

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