Coronavirus: Ada County Jail reports 224 inmate cases; brewery temporarily closed
The Ada County Jail is now reporting 224 cases of coronavirus in the facility, as of Friday, since the pandemic began.
Since July, 150 of those 224 inmates with the virus have made it through the quarantine period and no longer need COVID-19 precautions inside the jail or have been released, according the sheriff’s blog.
“The first positive test occurred on July 28 when a female inmate complained about a loss of taste and smell,” according to the blog. “The inmate was tested immediately, and the results came back the next day as positive for COVID-19.”
The Ada County Sheriff’s Office reported that it has done series of tests and retests for inmates in several different housing areas of the jail over the past several weeks.
Every inmate in the jail has been provided with face coverings. Inmates are supposed to wear the masks at all times unless they are in their bunks.
“As of Aug. 20, the Ada County Sheriff’s Office has had 137 employees quarantine for some period of time due to exposure concerns about COVID-19,” according to the sheriff’s blog. “That number includes 22 employees who tested positive for COVID-19 since the beginning of the pandemic. That total includes employees from all five bureaus of the ACSO — police services, jail, court services, administrative, and emergency communications.”
Brewery closes temporarily
A local brewery has closed its taproom after a staff member contracted COVID-19.
Crooked Fence Brewing Co., 5220 N. Sawyer Ave. in Garden City, informed customers that it would temporarily shutter the space while other employees get tested and await results.
The brewery plans to deep clean, it wrote on social media, and will reopen when “we feel confident that we are safe.”
Opened in 2012, Crooked Fence is one of the Boise area’s best-known breweries. It opened in Garden City, relocated to Eagle in 2014, then returned to Garden City under new ownership in 2018.
152 new COVID cases reported Sunday
State and local health officials around Idaho reported 152 new COVID-19 cases on Sunday.
Only three counties — Ada, Canyon and Payette — reported double-digit new cases. Canyon added the most cases Sunday with 75, bringing its total number of confirmed coronavirus cases to 6,805.
Ada County reported 30 new cases, and its total confirmed cases is now 10,372. Payette County reported 12 cases Sunday, bringing its total to 581. Other cases were reported Sunday throughout Idaho in counties like Bonneville, Gooding, Owyhee, Twin Falls and Washington.
As of Sunday, 29,644 Idaho residents had tested positive for COVID-19. No new deaths were reported Sunday, and the state’s coronavirus death count remains at 359.
Over 253,000 coronavirus tests have been conducted in Idaho as of Sunday, according to the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare. Idaho’s positive test rate is about 11.7%.
The department also added eight new “probable” cases to its totals, which is 2,311 as of Sunday.
Coronavirus cases have been reported in all of Idaho’s 44 counties: Ada 10,372, Adams 24, Bannock 620, Bear Lake 37, Benewah 110, Bingham 447, Blaine 587, Boise 49, Bonner 206, Bonneville 1,449, Boundary 43, Butte 19, Camas 3, Canyon 6,805, Caribou 40, Cassia 529, Clark 17, Clearwater 20, Custer 29, Elmore 232, Franklin 51, Fremont 100, Gem 188, Gooding 196, Idaho 40, Jefferson 293, Jerome 532, Kootenai 2,152, Latah 223, Lemhi 51, Lewis 9, Lincoln 58, Madison 198, Minidoka 517, Nez Perce 262, Oneida 18, Owyhee 275, Payette 581, Power 124, Shoshone 194, Teton 107, Twin Falls 1,506, Valley 78 and Washington 253.
Community spread has been reported in the majority of Idaho counties: Ada, Bannock, Bear Lake, Benewah, Bingham, Blaine, Boise, Bonner, Bonneville, Boundary, Canyon, Caribou, Cassia, Clark, Clearwater, Custer, Elmore, Fremont, Gem, Gooding, Idaho, Jefferson, Jerome, Kootenai, Latah, Lemhi, Lewis, Lincoln, Madison, Minidoka, Nez Perce, Oneida, Owyhee, Payette, Power, Shoshone, Teton, Twin Falls, Valley and Washington.
This story was originally published August 31, 2020 at 11:56 AM.
