Kingfisher County Sheriff Dennis Banther reported that an inmate and staff member tested positive for COVID-19 last week, the first cases of the virus in the county jail.

The inmate was tested after running a fever and the diagnosis was confirmed Wednesday, Banther said.

A staff member began exhibiting symptoms during days off and tested positive during days off, Banther said.

“They took time off to test and will continue days off until they have recovered per the health department guidelines,” Banther said.

Other inmates housed with the infected inmate have begun a 14-day quarantine, in accordance with the second phase of the jail’s COVID-19 protocols, Banther said.

Other precautions instituted as part of the protocol include the following, effective immediately:

• The Kingfisher County Sheriff’s Office will be locked down, with no public access.

•All jail visitation is suspended until further notice.

•All fingerprinting and SDA (Self-Defense Act) license applications are suspended until further notice.

•Requests for reports or information may be called in to the sheriff’s office at (405) 375-4232.

“Other internal measures have been enacted as well as these. These are to inform the public that we are in contact with the Health Department and taking measures to contain and eradicate the virus,” Banther said.

“We appreciate your understanding as we go through this process and look forward to returning to business as usual in the future.”

Banther said the jail still has space to safely house other prisoners and is continuing to accept new inmates during the quarantine period.

“No other inmates who were housed in the same cell with the infected person are exhibiting symptoms and are not required to test at this time,” he said. “PPE has been handed out to those infected.

The jail cases were identified while the county’s number of active cases was trending downwards.