VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — EDITOR'S NOTE: The original version of this story indicated that the cases mentioned were related to the closure of Virginia Beach Circuit Court. That was not the case. Additionally, there has been some clarification added as to when the deputies and inmates tested positive for COVID-19.
Wednesday night, the Virginia Beach Sheriff's Office sent out a string of posts on social media, committing to widespread coronavirus testing among inmates and staff.
The office said four deputies and two inmates tested positive for the disease since October 16. The deputies results came back on that date. The inmates were tested the following week.
Those two inmates are quarantining in individual cells, and a tweet said "they are being closely monitored and provided care."
Now, all inmates and staff will be given coronavirus tests, to be sure those people isolate accordingly.
The sheriff's office is employing a few other tactics to stop the spread of the virus, including contact tracing and temporarily canceling its "Weekender Program" that allows some inmates to serve sentences while maintaining a job.
"All individuals scheduled to report for delayed confinement between Oct. 28-Nov. 30 should not report and will be issued a new reporting date after Nov. 30," the sheriff's website read.
Friends and family visitation has been canceled "for the foreseeable future."