26 inmates have tested positive for COVID-19 in Lee County jails

26 inmates have tested positive for COVID-19 in Lee County jails

26 INMATES HAVE TESTED POSITIVEFOR COVID-19 IN LEE COUNTYJAILS.THAT’S ACCORDING TO THESHERIFF’S OFFICE, WHICH SAYS ITHAS THOSE INMATES IN ISOLATION.BUT THE PROBLEM IS, FOR THE RESTOF THE INMATES, THE SHERIFF’SOFFICE SAYS IT’S ONLY PROVIDINGTEMPERATURE CHECKS.THAT MEANS ANYONE WHO ISASYMPTOMATIC COULD STILL BESPREADING THE VIRUFOX 4 REPORTER ROB MANCH SPOKEWITH SEVERAL PEOPLE TODAY WHOSEE THIS AS A GROWING PROBLEM.TODAY I HAD THE CHANCE TO SPEAKWITH TWO PEOPLE, ONE WHO JUSTGOT OUT OF THE CORE FACILITYHERE IN LEE COUNTY, AND ONEWHOSE SON IS STILL INCARCERATEDHERE.AND THEY BOTH TELL ME, NOTENOUGH IS BEING DONE TO KEEPPEOPLE SAFE FROM COVID-19.(:13 - :18)One of the people who reachedout to Fox 4 was ChristinaHighhouse.She says her son is being heldat the core facility, and wastold that he was exposed tosomeone who had tested positive.Christina Highhouse, Son is inJail: "They were all advisedthat they were all underquarantine.

That was just acouple days ago.

Last night,they were told they are nounder quarantine, and he wasbrought back to his regular workdetail.

So he was escorteddowntown, and worked there aswell.

Only after a few days.Only after just a couple days."(19s)Highhouse says her son neverreceived a test for COVID-19.I also spoke with a man who wasjust released from the corefacility.He wanted to hide his identity,and says he started havingsymptoms shortly after he gotout of jail.Anonymous Former Inmate: "I wasreleased on Saturday morning,and I went to Centurylink onTuesday, about 1 in theafternoon, because it had becomeobvious that I was gettingsick."(12s)This inmate told me he asked tobe tested while in jail, butonly got temperature checks likeeverybody else.Anonymous Former Inmate:"You’re fine, you don’t have atemperature.

That’s all it wasbased on was my temperature.

Iwasn’t fine, I had the virus."(7s)Highhouse says, she’s now notonly concerned about her son.She’s concerned for hercommunity.Christina Highhouse, Son is inJail: "It doesn’t only affectwho’s inside.

It also affectseverybody else, because thesepeople are now being releaseddaily into society."(8s)Highhouse says, if they can testhundreds of people a day forfree at testing sites in FortMyers, they should be able totest inmates too.Christina Highhouse, Son is inJail: "I don’t feel like ourresources are their resources.They’re just given the bareminimum, and that’s just notenough."(7s)THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE DID RESPOTO ME, AND IT SAYS IT IS TAKINGSTEPS TO KEEP COVID-19 OUT OFFACILITIES LIKE THIS ONE.ANYONE WHO IS ARRESTED HAS TOQUARANTINE FOR 14 DAYS BEFOREMIXING IN WITH THE GENERALPOPULATION, AND TEMPERATURECHECKS ARE BEING DONE DAILY.BUT THE DEPARTMENT HASN’TCOMMENTED ON HOW MANY IN