The second outbreak of COVID-19 at the Daviess County Detention Center has left at least 43 inmates and five staff members infected, causing the jail to limit visitors and shut down all programs aside from the substance abuse program. Test results are currently pending for 16 additional inmates.
According to officials, most inmates are exhibiting mild to moderate symptoms. One inmate has been transported to Owensboro Health Regional Hospital for severe symptoms, and their family has been notified.
Jailer Art Maglinger said the most recent outbreak has affected Building 1. Building 1 is the jail’s main building and houses around 520 inmates, Maglinger said.
The last COVID-19 outbreak at the jail took place in December and primarily affected inmates in Building 2. Maglinger could not say for sure if the two outbreaks were related, though he did say it was possible.
Coronavirus outbreaks in places with high population density have been a concern for public health experts since the virus first made headlines. Currently, DCDC houses 621 inmates and continues to process new ones every day.
Maglinger said it was discovered that two of the five men arrested in a recent federal drug bust had COVID-19 when they were brought into the jail.
Those two men are currently in quarantine, Maglinger noted.
However, he said it was also possible that an employee could have brought the virus into the jail.
For now, Building 1 has been placed on restricted movement and all inmates who were potentially exposed to the virus are being monitored by the jail’s medical team. Anyone showing symptoms has been medically isolated, Maglinger said.
Most inmates in quarantine have continuous access to a telephone and kiosks. Other inmates will receive one hour out of their assigned cells each day, where they will have access to a shower, phones and kiosks.
In an effort to increase inmate morale and provide comfort to families and friends, DCDC has implemented an additional free 15-minute video visit each week for all of the inmates currently housed at the jail. That will continue for the next four weeks, Magligner said.
“We wanted to do something to lift the inmates’ spirits since all of our programs are down, and it gives their families peace of mind,” he said.
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