Cluster of COVID cases at OCJ

Oneida County Sheriff Robert Maciol says 17 correctional officers are currently out with COVID-19.

Newschannel two at noon.

The oneida county sheriff's department is facing many covid- related challenges right now.

It's forced then to halt all inmate transports.

Newschannel 2's joleen ferris is live in the studio with the latest on what they're facing at the oneida county jail.

Joleen?

The department is in the midst of a small outbreak of covid.

But it's among the corrections officers, t the inmat.

There is a handful of inmates who currently have the virus.

But the issue that's affecting their operations is the fact that they have 17 corrections officers out with the virus.

And that's just one challenge the jail is currently facing.

((video id here)) 4:32 "so what i'm dealing with now is a higher jail population than we've seen in probably two years, i've got 17 officers out on covid i also have a corrections academy that is currently on hold" 4:45 5:03 'and on top of that i have about 55 vacant, full- time positions here in the facility" 5:07 eighteen inmates have tested positive since the first corrections officer of this mini outbakdid , though, only five are still waiting to clear their quarantine.

Four are being isolated at the jail; one isin .