The Sanilac County Jail had its first COVID-19 outbreak that began on Nov. 1st, when a corrections deputy unknowingly exposed several other workers before they knew they had COVID-19.
Sanilac County Sheriff Gary Biniecki said, since then, a total of 14 corrections deputies, three administration staff, two road patrol deputies and two inmates had tested positive in November.
However, a positive test has not come back for about two weeks. No one needed to be hospitalized. This is the jail’s first outbreak.
Sheriff Biniecki said the jail had lasted seven months with no cases up to that point.
The Sanilac County jail follows much of the same protocols as other County Jail systems, including quarantining new inmates, cleaning and testing, quarantining those who show symptoms and test positive and following the guidance of the Sanilac County Health Department, the CDC and the McKenzie Health System.
Meanwhile, the St. Clair County jail also confirmed a dozen inmates have tested positive for COVID-19 in its second outbreak since the start of the pandemic.
St. Clair County Sheriff Mat King said Friday 11 inmates in the same sub-bay room have tested positive in November, with the first test coming back on Nov. 17.
Another inmate who was a new intake has also tested positive since then. New inmates are tested upon arrival and quarantine until test results come back negative.
Sheriff King said once an inmate starts to show symptoms they are quarantined. Several employees have also tested positive in November, King said.
