SAN ANTONIO — Update
Friday, March 20, 5:30 a.m.
Eleven Bexar County Sheriff's Office Deputies are set to return to work after coronavirus test results returned negative for an inmate who was treated by a University Health System physician that tested positive for coronavirus, according to BCSO official Johnny Garcia.
The deputies that were initially placed on medical administrative leave for precautionary measures have been notified.
At this time, there are no inmates in custody at the Bexar County Adult Detention Center with coronavirus.
Original
Tuesday, March 17
Bexar County authorities say eleven deputies are on administrative leave “out of an abundance of caution” after a chain of contact connecting them to a local doctor who was confirmed to have the coronavirus earlier this week.
That doctor, who is quarantined in their home, had recently tended to a Bexar County inmate housed at the hospital. According to Sheriff Javier Salazar, the deputies who were sent home had also come into contact with the inmate while still at the hospital.
“They’ve been asked to check in on a daily basis with our command structure to let us know that they’re OK,” Salazar said Wednesday.
BCSO said they were still awaiting results regarding the hospitalized inmate. Neither the deputies or the inmate have shown any flu-like symptoms, according to the sheriff's office.
As of Thursday, there were 29 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Bexar County not connected to the quarantine at JBSA-Lackland, including four cases of community spread illness. Additionally, Comal County officials confirmed their first case of travel-related COVID-19, and also issued a local disaster declaration.
MORE CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE:
- Real-time updates: 29 coronavirus cases confirmed in Bexar County; three new travel-related cases on JBSA
- Officials confirm three new coronavirus cases in Joint Base San Antonio community
- San Antonio restaurants restricted, bars shut down due to coronavirus
- Doctor tests positive for coronavirus at Stone Oak-area hospital
- Family of 4 could get $3,000 under virus relief plan, Mnuchin says