HODGENVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- The LaRue County Jail is the latest victim of COVID-19's attack on correctional facilities.
Jailer Jamie Underwood said it began in September when a jail employee tested positive for the virus. Since then, there have been 71 confirmed positive cases.
As of now, Underwood said there are still 36 active cases.
"I can assure you that every jail in the state of Kentucky is doing what they have to do to keep it out, get rid of it, whatever the case may be," he said.
Underwood said he and his staff have worked tirelessly to get control of the outbreak at the facility. Along with the Lincoln Trail District Health Department, jail staff are monitoring every inmate daily to be sure and prevent a further spread.
Each inmate who is currently negative is tested weekly, and the jail is separating positive and negative inmates.
"All the ones that test positive will go in a pod together," Underwood said. "The ones who are negative but have been exposed go in a pod together. All the negatives go in a pod together."
The Lincoln Trail District Health Department learned of the outbreak and immediately began providing additional assistance to the jail facility. It has provided them with personal protective equipment, sanitizer, gloves, masks, etc.
It also helped implement procedures like grouping inmates in pods to help mitigate the spread.
"Everybody's in an accelerated community spread," LTDHD spokesperson Terrie Burgan said. "(COVID-19) is here. It is spreading everywhere, and the jail is just an indication of that."
Burgan said LaRue County continues to see numbers rise. The state's incidence rate map currently has LaRue in the "orange" designation at 17.9 cases per 100,000 people.
She said the jail indicates that the virus is serious in the community.
"As of right now, our cases are increasing," she said. "It needs to be taken seriously."
Jail staff and health officials said they are doing everything possible to keep things under control at the LaRue County Detention Center, including holding new arrests in a completely separate area than those already in the jail.
"Don't worry," Underwood said. "We've got it under control. LaRue County is strong anyway. LaRue County will come out on top."
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