UPDATE: On Thursday, sheriff’s officials say they learned a civilian staff member assigned to the main jail also tested positive for COVID-19.
The employee was tested along with other staff on Tuesday and worked until Wednesday morning but their position did not require direct inmate contact, according to the sheriff’s office.
Thirty-six sheriff’s office employees have now tested positive for COVID-19. Twenty-five of them have reportedly recovered.
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ORIGINAL STORY: More Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office employees have tested positive for COVID-19.
The sheriff's office on Wednesday said a deputy who became sick while on vacation tested positive for the virus. The deputy never returned to work and the sheriff's office says the exposure does not appear to be work related.
Additionally, a custody deputy who was tested last Thursday as part of ongoing testing of custody staff also tested positive, officials say.
The employee, who was in an administrative role, did not have contact with inmates, according to the sheriff's office, and has not returned to work since being tested.
Thirty-five sheriff's office employees have now tested positive for COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic. Twenty-five of them have since recovered and returned to work.
Some jail inmates have also tested positive.