Six staff members test positive for COVID-19 at Maleng Regional Justice Center in Kent

Published 8:12 pm Friday, April 24, 2020

As a precaution, after six staff members at the Maleng Regional Justice Center in Kent have reported testing positive for COVID-19 in recent days, Public Health – Seattle & King County will offer voluntary testing for all staff members at the county jail facility on Saturday and Sunday.

Patients in custody are already being tested if symptomatic for COVID-19 and additional testing may be offered based on additional findings, according to a Public Health – Seattle & King County update on Friday.

Public Health will deploy a team this weekend to the Maleng Regional Justice Center, and will offer limited testing next week to staff members there who are unable to participate this weekend.

The Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention (DAJD) is thoroughly cleaning and disinfecting the areas where each staff member worked, in addition to the enhanced cleaning they are conducting throughout all correctional facilities.

King County provides each staff member and person in custody at all its correctional facilities with cloth masks to help reduce the further spread of the virus in addition to providing staff with personal protective equipment. DAJD has taken other emergency actions to prevent the spread of the virus, including cancelling all public visits while making video visits available at no cost.

For more information, visit DAJD’s COVID-19 dashboard.