Forsyth County Jail Sees Surge In COVID-19 Cases

An outbreak of COVID-19 has led to more than 30 cases connected to the Forsyth County jail.

The sheriff's office says 31 inmates tested positive as of Tuesday. Additionally, state trackers say six staff members also had positive tests.

“We remain committed to protecting the residents and our team members in the Detention Center," Forsyth Sheriff Bobby F. Kimbrough, Jr. says in a release. "We will continue to work closely with the Forsyth County Department of Public Health to ensure that everyone remains safe and healthy to the best of our ability.”

So far, no deaths have been connected to the outbreak. The infected inmates have been moved to a quarantine area. 

For places like jails and nursing homes — where many people live together — the state defines an outbreak as two or more positive tests.

The jail is run by the county, but there have also been surges in the state's inmate and staff population. Earlier this month, a superior court judge authorized a third-party expert to scrutinize the response to the pandemic within the state's prison system.

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