Robbinsville – An outbreak of COVID-19 continues at the Graham County Jail.
On Nov. 12, the Graham County Department of Public Health confirmed three active cases in the facility, keeping it under outbreak status for the next 28 days.
In total, 12 cases have been identified associated with the jail.
Graham County Health Director Beth Booth explained that once a facility such as the jail was on outbreak status, it would remain there for 28 days regardless.
However, the cycle would start completely over if any cases were identified in the facility, forcing it to go another 28 days without a single case before its outbreak status ended.
“That is our issue right now,” Booth said. “The numbers are very small, but the problem is they’re spaced out just enough that it keeps renewing the outbreak.”
The health department has introduced control measures in the jail to address the outbreak.
In the summer, a large-scale outbreak in the jail effectively closed the facility, forcing the Graham County Sheriff’s Office to transport those arrested to surrounding counties as it waited for the cases numbers in the jail to drop.
The summer outbreak also forced the postponement of many inmates’ court appearances.