CLAYTON, Mo. — More COVID-19 cases have been confirmed at the St. Louis County Justice Center.
According to the St. Louis County Department of Public Health, a total of 20 inmates and one employee of the Buzz Westfall Justice Center have tested positive for the coronavirus. A spokesperson said efforts continue to contain the first outbreak of transmission within the facility.
On Oct. 2, an inmate tested positive for the virus during routine screening. The patient was transferred to the facility’s COVID-19 unit.
A spokesperson said employees of the St. Louis County Department of Public Health began additional PCR tests of inmates and employees who were in contact with the patient. The department tested 390 people at the center from Oct. 2 to Oct. 6, which resulted in the positive cases reported.
Those who tested positive for the virus are isolated and reside in the same housing unit in the justice center.
A medical provider is seeing each patient who tests positive for a medical assessment, even those who are asymptomatic. Contact tracing and case investigation efforts continue, a spokesperson said.
On Friday, 439 of the justice center’s 867 inmates received a test. A spokesperson said testing will continue through the weekend.
Testing also has been made available to all employees and about 115 tests had been conducted as of 5 p.m. Friday.
A spokesperson said the source of the outbreak is not clear and until the latest cluster of cases, the department of public health had not detected evidence of transmission of the virus within the facility. All previous cases were traced to transmission before the individual entered the facility.
