Hamilton County, TN – The Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office has completed a second round of facility wide COVID-19 testing which began earlier this week on Monday, June 15th in the Hamilton County Jail.

The test results confirm that (8) corrections employees (6) inmates have tested positive for COVID-19. At the time of testing, inmates diagnosed with COVID-19 were asymptomatic, meaning they were not presenting any signs of illness.

The Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office Corrections Division is currently working with Health Department personnel and our contracted medical services provider [Erlanger Medical Center] to track all inmates and personnel who may have come into contact with those diagnosed with COVID-19. “My staff and I are continuing to work diligently with Health Department officials and Erlanger personnel to ensure we are providing a safe, healthy environment for our employees and the inmates we are charged to protect. This includes wearing proper personal protective equipment (PPE) and following established medical best practices and guidelines to mitigate the potential spread of COVID-19,” stated HCSO Deputy Chief of Corrections Joe Fowler.

Employees who have been diagnosed with COVID-19 are at home under isolation orders from the Health Department. Inmates who have been diagnosed with COVID-19 have also been quarantined in a separate area of the jail and are receiving medical treatment and review by Erlanger, our contracted medical services provider.

Hamilton County Sheriff Jim Hammond stated, “I would like to reassure the public and those who may have family or friends incarcerated in the jail our personnel are going to great lengths to follow CDC guidelines and sanitize the facility on a consistent basis. The Sheriff’s Office is continuing to work hand in hand with Health Department officials and Erlanger Medical personnel to safeguard the health of our inmates and personnel due to COVID-19.”

The Hamilton County Jail has a capacity of (505) beds and there are (358) inmates being housed in the facility.