Whatcom County Jail dealing with COVID-19 outbreak among inmates, staff

The Whatcom County Jail in downtown Bellingham has been dealing with a COVID-19 outbreak since last week that has sickened more than a dozen people, according to Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office Chief of Corrections Wendy Jones. On Tuesday, Nov. 23, jail staff were alerted that a person incarcerated in the downtown jail was reporting symptoms that could be the coronavirus, Jones told The Bellingham Herald Wednesday, Dec. 1. A rapid test was done and returned positive, she said.