File Photo (Lake County Jail) | Photo: Google Street View.

More inmates have tested positive for COVID-19 at the Lake County Jail, bringing the total to at least four active inmates who have the virus.

On Saturday, the jail’s medical provider conducted COVID-19 tests on nine inmates who were housed with an inmate that tested positive after being released from the jail.

The inmates were housed in unit “6T” and the jail medical provider received the test results for eight of the inmates on Wednesday.

Lake County Sheriff Spokesman Sgt. Christopher Covelli said that three tested positive, five tested negative and one is still pending.

There were initially ten inmates housed in 6T with the previously released inmate. One of those inmates was released on bail on April 17 and had not been showing any signs of illness when he was released, Covelli said.

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No inmates have been moved into 6T or from 6T to other housing units within the jail. The five inmates who tested negative are being moved out of 6T to a new 14-day quarantine area.

The three who tested positive will remain housed in 6T along with the inmate whose test results have not returned.

The four inmates remaining in 6T are in good condition and not displaying symptoms of illness. They will continue to be closely monitored by medical staff.

Covelli said that an increase in testing kits and a change in testing protocols has allowed the jail to conduct COVID-19 tests on those nine inmates, who had not been showing symptoms.

“A common misconception is that there is an abundance of COVID-19 test kits, which is simply not true. Our medical provider received additional test kits through their supplier and the Lake County Health Department was able to provide additional kits to the jail,” Covelli said.

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“With the increased supply and the loosening of the testing parameters, weโ€™ve been able to conduct additional tests of jail inmates,” he said.

The jail recorded their first active inmate to test positive of COVID-19 on April 21. It was a pregnant woman in her 30s who was booked into the jail on April 16. She is in good condition and has been isolated in the medical unit since she arrived.

The jail continues following prevention and mitigation protocols. Sheriffโ€™s Administration is working closely with the Lake County Health Department and the jailโ€™s medical provider in effort to reduce the spread of COVID-19 inside the jail, Covelli said.

All of the jailโ€™s inmates receive medical care and are routinely evaluated by medical staff while in custody, he added.

“Sheriff Idleburg takes his responsibility very seriously for the welfare and safety of not only his staff, but those housed in our jail as well,” Covelli said.

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