McHenry Co. Jail On Lockdown; 57 Test Positive For COVID-19

MCHENRY COUNTY, IL — The McHenry County Jail has been placed on lockdown after 42 detainees and 15 corrections officers tested positive for COVID-19 since Dec. 21, Deputy Kevin Byrnes told the Northwest Herald Tuesday.

Those jailed are not attending court hearings in person, with appearances are being held remotely instead, Byrnes said. Other changes include an increase in testing for inmates and staff and a ban on all visitors. Also, inmates are currently only allowed one hour in the day room alone to groom, exercise or make phone calls, according to the article.

There have been other outbreaks at the jail since early 2020.

In March 2021, a lockdown was enacted after 20 inmates tested positive. In August, two people tested positive for COVID-19 and, at that time, 27 cases had been reported among employees or inmates at the jail over a four-month period.