Infectious diseases can spread quickly in the close confines of jails and prisons. The Arizona Department of Corrections says it is in contact with the Arizona Department of Health Services and prepared to handle any cases of the coronavirus in state prisons, should they occur.
Department spokesperson Bill Lamoreaux says employees and inmates are being encouraged to take preventative steps like frequently washing hands and regularly cleaning and disinfecting shared surfaces.
A spokesperson for the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office said they have an action plan for the inmate population and are working closely with Correctional Health Services, the medical provider for the county jail system.
The Sheriff’s Office books around 300 people into the jails each day. There are currently more than 41,000 people in the state’s prisons.
