Curry County Detention Center employee tests positive for COVID-19

CLOVIS (KSMX)- The Curry County Detention Center announced one contract employee has tested positive for COVID-19.

According to the press release from the Curry County Manager’s office, the contracted employee was tested on July 24, and the result was received this morning. The employee has been sent home and will be quarantined until cleared by the Department of Health.

In addition, the detainee who previously tested on July 18 and received the positive test on July 24 retested on that same date and that result was received this morning and reflected still positive. Currently, there are no other positive tests confirmed by the Department of Health at the Curry County Detention Facility.

Extensive testing of inmates, staff and contractors has been conducted following the positive test result of the inmate that was reported on July 24. Since notification of the positive result inside the facility, 74 staff members and 66 detainees have been tested and other than the positive test results of the one inmate and the one. contract employee received this morning, 138 test results are still pending. As a result of this positive test of the contract employee, all staff and detainees will be tested again this week.

The County continues to require that all new bookings into the facility be screened, tested and placed in a quarantine pod until their results are received. With positive test of the contracted employee, all detainees within that working crew are quarantined in a separate pod to help eliminate any potential spread until additional tests are provided and the results are received.

The Curry County Detention Center continues to strictly comply with COVID Safe Practices and requires temperatures be taken before and after each shift, medically isolates any detainees experiencing symptoms, masks worn at all times, screening all staff and any individual that experiences symptoms are to be tested and then immediately sent home to quarantine.