SCURRY COUNTY, Texas (PRESS RELEASE) — The following is a press release from Scurry County Judge Dan Hicks:

In an effort to keep the public informed to the greatest extent possible, while protecting the privacy rights of individuals, this press release confirms that an employee of Scurry County who was stationed inside the Scurry County Law Enforcement Center has tested positive for COVID 19.

Due to the confined space and close quarters necessarily associated with a jail setting, Scurry County will be conducting large scale testing of both employees and inmates over the next 48-96 hours. Those tests will be administered by both Cogdell Hospital as well as a State Testing Team and will begin as soon as possible, consistent with all necessary precautions and availability of testing staff and wants. We expect the initial wave of tests to be in the range of 140 individuals, approximately, with further tests to follow, if warranted.

Obviously, due to health privacy laws, details regarding those who are being tested cannot be divulged. Should positive tests result from this investigation, the public will be informed to the greatest extent possible consistent with, and according to, the directives of the Local Health Authority.

Please note that the resources of the Sheriff’s Office, Judge’s Office, and Health Department, as well as our Emergency Management Team, are being stretched extremely thin with the amount of testing, tracing, and investigating occurring at this time. Therefore. these offices will be unavailable to field additional individual questions for the next few days.

We will endeavor to keep the public informed and safe as more information becomes available and as test results are received. In addition to this case we have received confirmation of three (3) new cases. COVID 19 is in our community!

For those of you who are concerned about contracting the virus, please be mindful of Social Distancing and limiting contact with others to Essential Contact only.

We ask for your patience and understanding during this testing period.

(This is a press release from Scurry County Judge Dan Hicks.)