Adults in custody at Inverness Jail who have been undergoing regular repeated testing for COVID-19 tested negative for the third week in a row, officials reported Tuesday.
The results mean that no adults in custody housed at Inverness Jail are in isolation from infection or quarantine for exposure to the virus.
“This has been a major turning point in a very challenging situation, and we are grateful to our staff, Corrections Health and Public Health members who worked to identify cases and care for those affected,’’ said Multnomah County Sheriff Mike Reese.
Corrections Health is continuing to work closely with Multnomah County Public Health and the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office to monitor the facility. Staff will continue to practice physical distancing standards and provide procedural masks daily to everyone.
At the height of the outbreak, 198 adults in custody and 31 staff or household members tested positive for the virus. Most people were tested because they were exposed to someone with a positive test. Almost all who tested positive have had no symptoms or mild symptoms. One person was briefly hospitalized. No one has died.
Inverness Jail is one of two Multnomah County correctional facilities. Most people at Inverness Jail live in large, open dormitories and share dining and shower facilities.
Congregate settings like Inverness Jail, especially for adults who are older or have underlying health conditions, are considered at higher risk for disease spread and illness. The County has advocated for prioritizing those in custody in vaccine distribution and began offering vaccines to adults in custody in early February.
Since then, 270 people have received Pfizer vaccines with more than half of those fully vaccinated and others scheduled for their second dose. Corrections Health is also following up with people who may have received a first dose of Moderna elsewhere and providing them with the appropriate second Moderna dose.
A pilot program has also been conducted at the Multnomah County Justice Center and a broader vaccination effort will begin later this month.
“We are pleased that this round of testing supports ending the last quarantine at Inverness Jail during this outbreak — it is the result of coordinated efforts with our Public Health and MCSO partners,’’ said Corrections Health Director Dr. Mike Seale. “Our continued emphasis on physical distancing, use of masks, sanitation and now vaccination promises to help address the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.”
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