(Updated) Arlington County Tests All Sheriff's Office Staff and

Published on December 09, 2020

Note: Some information (2nd paragraph) was inadvertently missing from the first version that was posted. It is included below.

Sheriff Beth Arthur announces all Sheriff's Office staff and inmates housed at the Arlington County Detention Facility will be tested for COVID-19 on December 10th and 11th by the Virginia National Guard.

RELATED: Agency Protocols to Help Mitigate the Spread of COVID-19.

The Sheriff's Office has worked closely with Public Health officials to conduct contact tracing and identify possibly exposed individuals after an inmate tested positive for COVID-19 last week. All initially identified staff and inmates have been tested for the virus. Two additional inmates have received positive results for COVID-19. They are doing well, and the medical contractor of the Detention Facility is closely monitoring and managing their symptoms. To ensure the continued health and safety of those working and housed within the Detention Facility, a decision has been made to test all staff and inmates.

"The safety of staff, the public and those remanded to our custody remains my top priority as we continue to navigate these challenging times," said Sheriff Arthur. "These are the first inmate cases of COVID-19 in Arlington and I want to assure the public we are taking proactive steps to mitigate the spread. As cases continue to rise in communities across the country, it is crucial that we continue to work collaboratively and follow public health guidance to help protect individuals and communities from COVID-19."