Dane County Sheriff’s Office to begin agency-wide testing for coronavirus; 16 additional inmates test positive

Stephanie Fryer by Stephanie Fryer

MADISON, Wis. — The Dane County Sheriff’s Office will begin agency-wide testing for COVID-19.

The sheriff’s office said Tuesday that it has asked the National Guard WING Mobile Specimen Collection Team to test all inmates and essential staff.

Four inmates from the same pod in the Public Safety Building tested positive for coronavirus, according to a release by the Dane County Sheriff’s Office. As a result, 22 other inmates in that pod were also tested. Twelve of the tests came back positive. Of those 12, ten inmates were asymptomatic.

“The health and safety of our deputies, support staff, as well as their families and the inmates in our facility, continue to be our highest priority. We will make every effort to utilize any resources we have available to mitigate the spread of this virus,” said Sheriff David Mahoney in the news release.

Testing on all inmates and essential staff is expected to begin Friday, the release said.

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