AZTEC – San Juan County announced additional cases of COVID-19 within the county offices and detention center.
Devin Neeley, spokesman for San Juan County, said as of Monday, 13 county employees had tested positive for COVID-19. The assessor’s and treasurer’s offices each had one new case, and the adult detention center had eight cases. The other three cases involve employees who don’t work directly with the public, he said.
“The individuals in the Assessor’s Office and Treasurer’s Office have not been in the office during a time when they may have been contagious, however, all work areas were sanitized out of an abundance of caution, and staff are still provided with personal protective equipment,” the release said. “There is no concern for transmission from staff to the public.”
There are also cases among volunteer members of the San Juan County Fire Department, but the county said emergency services will continue uninterrupted and that as of Tuesday there was no concern for exposure to the public.
In addition to the eight cases at the adult detention center, the center has reported six contract staff members and 56 detainees who are positive – nearly 100 fewer than a reported high of more than 150 cases earlier this year.
“As before, detainees are tested upon arrival and placed in appropriate housing based on their test result,” the release said.
Neeley also said detainees are provided with masks.
“Those who have tested positive are checked by medical staff regularly and will receive care as necessary,” the release said. “As a reminder, San Juan County Adult Detention Center staff are not allowed to release any medical information over the phone. Family members wishing to check on the medical status of a detainee must speak directly to the detainee.”
The detention center has also suspended all in-person religious visits, however, other visits through the virtual visitation system remain in place.
“The San Juan County Adult Detention Center continues to work with justice partners to keep population to a minimum,” the release said.