Tarrant County deputy positive for coronavirus; detectives back at work after recovery
A deputy with the Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office has tested positive for the coronavirus, while two detectives who contracted it last month have returned to work, an official said Tuesday.
A deputy who works in the Judicial Division of the department is at home and under medical care.
He was not at work in the two weeks before he was diagnosed with the virus, according to Lt. Jennifer Gabbert with the Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office.
Two detectives, Mark Smith and Jerry Brown, were exposed to COVID-19 last month and quarantined, Gabbert said. The two have recovered and returned to work.
Gabbert said it is unknown where the detectives were exposed to the virus.
All personnel in contact with those detectives were also screened and quarantined.
There are more 1,500 employees at the Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office.
“Upon their recovery, both detectives’ first inclination was to help the public by giving plasma to help fight COVID-19 in our community,” Gabbert said in a news release. “Both are taking steps in the process with Carter Blood Center to determine if they are suitable to donate in hopes their blood can be used to study and create a vaccine.”
Incredibly, there are no inmates in the Tarrant County Jail who have tested positive for coronavirus, officials said. As of Monday, there were 3,379 inmates in the three Tarrant County jail facilities operated by the Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office. In addition, no jail staff members have tested positive.
As of Monday, 452 Tarrant County residents had tested positive for COVID-19. Eighteen residents have died as of Tuesday.
This story was originally published April 7, 2020 at 11:00 AM.
