Inmates, staff test positive for Covid at Sonoma County main jail

A dozen inmates and at least seven jail employees have tested positive for Covid-19 amid a new outbreak at the Sonoma County main jail.

The outbreak at the Main Adult Detention Facility in Santa Rosa is the third rash of Covid-19 cases at the jail since the pandemic began.

Additional testing of inmates and staff is ongoing to determine the extent of the outbreak, with results expected later this week, according to Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Sgt. Juan Valencia.

In response to the outbreak, the jail has locked down to prevent outside visitors from potentially contracting and spreading the virus.

Nearly 3,500 Covid-19 cases are currently active in Sonoma County amid the Bay Area’s wave of cases due to the omicron variant. A total of 47,165 cases have been confirmed countywide since the pandemic began.