An inmate at the St. Tammany Parish Jail is in isolation today after testing positive for the COVID-19 coronavirus.
The test was performed earlier in the week after the inmate began showing signs of the potentially fatal respiratory infection.
The positive test came back Friday night.
As soon as that inmate started showing symptoms, the medical staff at the jail placed all inmates in the housing unit where that inmate was being housed on lockdown as a precaution.
Those inmates are being monitored closely for symptoms.
This monitoring includes taking their temperatures twice daily.
Four additional inmates in the same housing area have started showing symptoms (low-grade fever) and have been placed in their own quarantined housing unit.
Their tests results are pending.
Staff at the St. Tammany Parish Jail continues to follow CDC guidelines for sanitation.
All 57 inmates in the affected housing areas have been given additional cleaning supplies, and a complete clothing and linen exchange was completed for that housing unit.
Since the COVID-19 virus situation began, the jail staff and medical personnel has taken special precautions to protect all inmates and staff.
