July 2 - The latest results on jail inmate COVID-19 tests are as follows:
643 positive
32 negative
27 pending
June 29th - New data shows a total of 507 inmates have tested positive for COVID-19, the overwhelming majority of these cases come out of the North Jail Annex.
There have been 472 negative tests and we are still awaiting the results of 186 tests.
The quarantine process began on June 19, so it is worth noting we are past the halfway point of the suggested 14 day quarantine period. There is no movement within the North Jail. This only occurs if someone there tests positive. We then move them to another area where they quarantine with other positive inmates.
If someone’s sentence ends or they post bail, we must release the person even if they are inside the quarantine period. We give them educational material letting them know of the circumstances and that they should continue on by self-quarantining at home.
At a later time we will take additional tests on both positive and negative inmates to ensure we have accurate results of their health conditions.
June 25th - This week, the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office has administered approximately 1,200 COVID-19 tests to inmates in the Fresno County Jail.
The majority of those inmates are in the North Annex Jail. So far, we have received 400 results from those tests. 108 inmates have shown to be positive for COVID-19. We are expected to have the remaining 800 or so results back by this this Saturday.
The 108 positive people are currently quarantined on a floor of the Main Jail and a floor of the North Jail. The others, who have tested negative and those still awaiting results, are not being moved anywhere. They remain in quarantine wherever they have been housed for the past week. We will be working to administer additional tests in the coming weeks on those who tested negative to ensure we have the most accurate results.
We understand some of you have loved ones in the jail and would like to hear from them. Please do not call our jail to try and reach an individual inmate. We are not staffed to conduct this type of service. Inmates have full access to telephones and may call you. If they are choosing not to call you and you wish to contact them, please mail them a letter, via U.S. Mail, to the following address.
Fresno County Jail
Attn: Inmate's name
JID # and Booking #
(This can be obtained from through the inmate search function, https://fresnosheriff.org/units/records/inmate-search.html)
P.O. Box 872
Fresno, CA 93712
June 19th - Approximately 1,200 inmates housed inside Fresno County’s North Annex Jail (1265 M Street) have been placed in quarantine after the Sheriff’s Office received COVID-19 results showing positive cases.
On June 10th, 2020, the Sheriff’s Office received COVID-19 tests showing negative results for 25 sentenced inmates who were scheduled to be transferred to Wasco State Prison. All of these inmates were housed on floors 2, 3, 4 and 5 of the North Annex Jail. After being medically cleared, these 25 inmates were transported to Wasco on June 17th. The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) conducted its own COVID-19 tests on these same inmates. On June 19th, CDCR notified the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office that 13 of the 25 inmates tested positive for COVID-19.
In response to this news, the North Jail Annex was placed into precautionary quarantine and all inmates are now being closely monitored for symptoms of COVID-19. Thus far, we have identified nine inmates who have a fever. Those inmates and any others that may have symptoms will be tested and provided with any necessary medical attention. There will be no inmate movement within the North Jail until further notice.
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, all inmates in the Fresno County Jail have been monitored and screened daily by medical staff for COVID-19. Cases inside the jail have been minimal and symptoms have been addressed immediately in order to keep it from spreading. These 13 positive tests represent the largest spike in cases we have seen associated with our jail. We are working to identify any possible cause for this spike and to see if other areas of the jail may be impacted. This week’s transfer to Wasco State Prison is the second such transportation of sentenced inmates we have done this month.
