Authorities in Alameda County have confirmed an outbreak among staff and inmates at Santa Rita Jail in Dublin.
According to the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office, the outbreak was confirmed over the weekend, totalling 56 cases on Monday, with 46 inmates and 10 staff members testing positive for coronavirus.
Of those 46 inmates, 37 were asymptomatic. The outbreak originated from one cellblock, unit 35, which houses 55 inmates, said Alameda County Sheriff Public Information Officer Sgt. Ray Kelly.
According to Kelly, this isn’t even the biggest outbreak the jail has seen. Last summer, the jail had a whopping 120 positive cases. "This is not new to us," said Kelly.
Whenever there are surges in the community, there are spikes in the jail as well, he said. New arrestees and outside workers bring the virus in.
There are currently 2165 inmates housed at the jail.
