GREEN COVE SPRINGS, Fla. – A week after the Clay County Sheriff’s Office reported 18 cases of COVID-19 inside the county jail, News4Jax is looking into reports that more inmates have tested positive.
Since Friday, News4Jax has received half a dozen tips from families with loved ones inside the jail who say they believe the number of cases has jumped significantly.
All of the tips mentioned another 50 cases or more.
The reports from family members said inmates were being isolated and having symptoms treated accordingly.
A spokesman for the Sheriff’s Office said that to his knowledge, the 18 number the department released last week is still accurate, but he couldn’t provide more information. He said he likely wouldn’t learn of new numbers until Monday, and that if there has been an increase in cases, the information will be released next week.
Mark Millien said his brother, who is in the jail, tested positive and is asymptomatic.
Millien said his brother has reason to believe he’s not the only new inmate to test positive.
“He told me on a phone call yesterday…. But not that he was just positive, every single member of his dorm was positive, which includes 53 inmates,” Millien said.
Millien said his brother told him 18 inmates were removed from his dorm.
“But he was a little bit concerned because the 18 people that they removed did not seem to represent the entirety of the population that seems to be having symptoms,” Millien said.
The Sept. 4 release from the Sheriff’s Office said inmates have full access to medical care and are screened several times a day. Protective equipment is given to staff and inmates. And new inmates are quarantined for seven days then can transition into the general population.