Chief judge's office employee working at juvenile detention center tests positive for coronavirus
This scanning electron microscope image shows SARS-CoV-2 (orange) — also known as 2019-nCoV, the virus that causes COVID-19. (National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases-Rocky Mountain Laboratories, NIH)
CHICAGO - The Office of the Chief Judge of Cook County announced Thursday two more confirmed cases of the coronavirus, including another of its employees.
The employee works at the Juvenile Temporary Detention Center and last reported for work March 27, the chief judge’s office said in a statement. It’s the seventh employee of the chief judge’s office to test positive for the virus.
The employee worked an overnight shift when juvenile residents were in their single-occupancy bedrooms and had no contact with the juveniles, officials said. However, the employee had contact with 14 staff members during the shift.
Officials said no staff members or juvenile residents at the detention center currently have COVID-19 symptoms.
In March, 190 juveniles were released from the facility, and the detention center is holding 171 residents as of Thursday, officials said.
Any new admissions to the facility are being screened, and juveniles who show symptoms or may have been exposed to the virus will not be allowed into the detention center until they are medically cleared, officials said.
The other confirmed COVID-19 case is someone who isn’t employed by the chief judge’s office but who works in the Leighton Criminal Court building, officials said.
The person was in the courtroom March 19 and March 22 through March 26, officials said. They had no contact with members of the public during this time.
The areas where the employees worked received a deep cleaning and anyone who came into contact with them is being informed, officials said.