Special to El Rrun-RrunAfter weeks of denying that there were any positive cases of COVID-19 among the inmates at its three jail units, the Cameron County Sheriff's Department has said an outbreak of positive cases has forced it to shut down the jails to visitation until July 31.
Families can still communicate with the prisoners through pre-paid telephone cards the inmates can buy.
Jail Physician Alberto Almeida said that "several" inmates and scores of jail staff members have tested positive and instituted the visitation restrictions to limit contact between visitors and prisoners.
Face masks have now been provided for the prisoners, he told KRGV Channel 5.
Prior to Tuesday's runoff for sheriff in the Democratic Party elections, the department boasted that no virus infection cases had been found in the jails.