38 Coronavirus Cases Inside Will County's Jail

JOLIET, IL — The Will County Sheriff's Office on Wednesday afternoon announced that 38 jail inmates recently tested positive for the coronavirus. One other inmate is believed to be the spreader of the coronavirus, authorities said.

"Last week, the Will County Adult Detention Facility became aware that an inmate who had been in custody since February might have spread Covid to other inmates within the facility," sheriff's department spokeswoman Kathy Hoffmeyer stated in Wednesday's news release.

"The male inmate had recently been sentenced and had been housed for five days within a housing unit before being transported to the Illinois Department of Corrections. Upon his intake at IDOC, he was given a rapid Covid test and tested positive. The inmate displayed no symptoms while at the ADF."

According to Will County, the other county jail inmates in the same housing unit were subsequently tested for the coronavirus: 38 tested positive and 13 tested negative, sheriff's officials said. At the moment, all of the positive coronavirus are "mild with no serious underlying conditions," the news release states.

All inmates exposed to the virus are being isolated within the county jail at 95 South Chicago Street and they will remain on quarantine for at least two weeks.

"The Will County Sheriff’s Office and the Adult Detention Facility remain steadfast following the state guidelines and are working closely with the Will County Health Department," the agency said.