The Ingham County jail is dealing with an outbreak of COVID-19.
Eight inmates at the Ingham County jail have tested positive for COVID-19. The inmates were tested after a civilian kitchen employee left work early last Friday and later tested positive for the virus. All the infected inmates worked in the jail's kitchen.
Only one of the eight inmates who've tested positive is showing symptoms.
About two dozen other inmates tested negative but are being quarantined.
Ingham County Sheriff Scott Wriggelsworth says inmates are screened for the virus when they arrive at the jail. He’s convinced the inmates were not the source of the infection.
“The further that COVID goes down the road the more it is that those that are in and out of our facility every single day are the most likely ones to bring it into our facilities,” says Wriggelsworth.
Wriggelsworth says for now food is getting prepped offsite and brought in.
Ingham County is one of many jails across the state that has previously released a number of inmates early to prevent the spread of the virus.
