San Juan County issued the following announcement on July 24.
After an outbreak of coronavirus in the San Juan County Adult Detention Center yielded more than 100 positive cases among detainees, detention center medical staff, using New Mexico Department of Health and Centers for Disease Control guidance, have deemed that most of those cases are recovered.
Of the 144 positive cases reported in the SJCADC, 111 meet the criteria to be classified as recovered. This means that the recovered detainees have gone 21 days since a positive result was returned and are showing no symptoms. The NMDOH and CDC consider cases recovered after 14 days when no symptoms have been present. Out of an abundance of caution, the SJCADC has continued to monitor positive cases 21 days. Due to the fluid nature of the detention population, not all 144 remain in custody.
There are 30 remaining cases which are detained and considered active as of July 24. Of the 30 detainees remaining active, 12 detainees are being monitored closely because they are reporting symptoms, however, monitoring shows them to be stable, asymptomatic, and meet recovery criteria.
All other active cases remain asymptomatic.
An additional 14 cases meet NMDOH criteria for recovery today but will be considered recovered by the more stringent criteria followed by the SJCADC on July 31st.
With no changes in the population at the SJCADC, there will only be four active cases in custody on August 1.
Since March, the San Juan County Adult Detention Center has been observing strict practices to protect detainees and staff. Each detainee is tested for coronavirus upon arrival at the detention center and again after seven days. Based on the detainee’s classification and test result, they are placed in appropriate housing. Detainees are only housed with others who have tested the same.
Every detainee receives adequate medical attention from the SJCADC contracted medical provider, and the detainees have access to onsite medical care 24 hours a day. Detainees are provided care as needed and those with symptoms requiring more acute care are transferred to the hospital.
Detainees are provided with education, masks to wear, and are encouraged to observe social distancing to the extent possible. Additionally, staff sanitizes detainee housing areas at least three times daily, as well as provides cleaning and sanitizing supplies to detainees. Staff are all required, at all times, to wear proper personal protective equipment in the facility.
Additional testing of detainees and staff will continue, following NMDOH recommendations.
Original source can be found here.
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