Fewer inmates, employees affected by COVID-19 outbreak at Pierce County Jail
The number of people affected by a COVID-19 outbreak at Pierce County Jail is decreasing.
As of Friday, 18 inmates were isolated after testing positive for the coronavirus, and 55 inmates were quarantined after possibly being exposed.
That’s 13 percent of the 545 people being held in jail, which is down from 33 percent at the height of the outbreak.
“What it’s showing is what we’re doing is working,” Pierce County Sheriff Ed Troyer said. “We’ve plateaued and we’re heading down. That’s a good sign.”
Out of 278 employees at the jail, 21 have contracted COVID since the start of the outbreak.
The outbreak was discovered Aug. 21 when dozens of inmates were tested after reporting feeling ill. At that time, 25 to 35 received positive results and up 180 inmates were placed in quarantine.
Rules about who could be booked into the jail changed to keep the population as low as possible and maintain social distancing.
Only people arrested on suspicion of violent crimes can be booked until further notice. That includes murder, manslaughter, first-degree assault, rape, child molestation, kidnapping, child assault, domestic violence and possessing explosive devices.
All three vaccines are offered at the jail’s health clinic, but only about half the inmates have chosen to be vaccinated, officials said.
COVID totals remain high in Pierce County.
There have been 718 deaths and 74,351 cases in Pierce County since the first confirmed coronavirus case was reported in March 2020. The county’s 14-day case rate per 100,000 was 681.8 for Aug. 18-31. The rate of new hospitalizations per 100,000 is at 18.9.
This story was originally published September 10, 2021 at 1:29 PM.
