Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office reports 23 additional inmates, six staff members test positive for COVID-19

SANTA BARBARA COUNTY, Calif. -- Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office reports an additional 23 inmates and six additional Sheriff's Office staff members testing positive for COVID-19 on Thursday evening.

This brings the total number of inmates testing positive to 126.

The total number of Sheriff's Office employees that tested positive is now 88.

The Sheriff's Office says four inmates tested positive during intake screening.

The other 19 inmates tested positive after the outbreak that happened within the main jail.

All inmates in the associated housing areas were screened and offered testing.

The Sheriff's Office says all COVID-19 positive inmates are either housed in negative pressure housing areas or housed separately from the general population.

All of the affected housing areas are being quarantined and closely monitored by medical staff.

One of the inmates that tested positive on intake has been transferred to Cottage Hospital for unrelated medical reasons. 

The current number inmates that are still with COVID-19 is 30.