Five More Bristol County Jail Inmates Test Positive for COVID-19

Five more county inmates in Bristol County correctional facilities tested positive for COVID-19 since June 12, the Office of Bristol County Sheriff Thomas Hodgson announced.

That brings the total number of county inmates to test positive to 47. Of those 47, 30 have recovered and returned to the general population while five have been released because their sentences were concluded. Twelve, including the five new cases, remain in medical isolation and are being monitored by the medical team, the sheriff's office stated in its weekly coronavirus update.

Before the COVID-positive inmates were released, the sheriff's office notified the person picking them up as well as the state Department of Public Health, which in turn notified the local health department of the community the individual is returning to, the sheriff's office said.

No new staff members have tested positive for COVID since June 12. Four staff members remain away from the facility recovering from the disease while 37 have returned to duty. One staff member, a health care professional from Correctional Psychiatric Services, left the BCSO after recovering to take a different position at a health care facility in Dartmouth, according to the sheriff's office.

The Bristol County Sheriff’s Office says it has instituted protocols to protect inmates, ICE detainees and staff from the coronavirus outbreak. All employees, detainees and inmates were issued masks that must be worn inside the secure perimeter of the facilities. All areas of the facilities are being cleaned and disinfected every day on every shift. All staff members are being screened before entering the buildings and new arriving inmates are being screened before being accepted into custody, the sheriff's office said.

In-person visitation has been suspended and will resume based pending guidance from the Office of Governor Charlie Baker, the state's Department of Public Health, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, according to the Bristol County Sheriff.