Chicago Jail Now Largest Known Source Of Infections

The New York Times reports:

The Cook County Jail in Chicago, a sprawling facility that is among the largest jails in the nation, has emerged as the largest-known source of U.S. virus infections, according to data compiled by The Times.

At least 353 cases can be linked to the jail — more than have been connected to the U.S.S. Theodore Roosevelt; a nursing home in Kirkland, Wash.; or the cluster centered in New Rochelle, N.Y. The Cook County Sheriff’s Office, which operates the jail, said 238 inmates and 115 staff members had tested positive as of Wednesday.

But because a vast majority of the 5,000 inmates have not been tested, corrections officers have said the numbers are likely to be far higher. In late March, the jail had just two diagnoses.