There are two more swine-flu related deaths in San Diego County. There are also two confirmed cases of swine flu at the South Bay Detention Center -- and more than 1,000 other inmates have been exposed to the virus and are being treated with Tamiflu, said San Diego Sheriff William Gore.
Some inmates and employees are showing signs of the swine flu. Now, friends and family are not allowed to visit their loved ones behind bars, and officials don't know when that will change.
"They didn't even tell me why. In fact, when I got to the jail to visit my mom they just said there was no visits; they were canceled, period," said visitor Julie Alvarez. "I think it's terrible, I think its terrible for all people that have family members in jail because they can't see their relatives."
45 men at the George Bailey Detention facility and 11 women at Las Colinas are being quarantined after showing symptoms. 11 employees were sent home. Nancy Booth with the San Diego Sheriff's Department said it is likely being transmitted through contact from the outside.
"Because H1N1 is transmitted by droplet, by virtue of the fact, the way they visit they are using the phone and therefore they are contaminating the phone every time we use it," said Booth.
One of the affected inmates had the flu before he was admitted to the jail but didn't show symptoms. He ultimately passed it to his cellmate. Any inmate that's due to be released, however, will still be released with the proper medication, said Gore.
Seven people in San Diego County have died from swine flu. The latest cases were a 57 and a 64-year-old man. Both had underlying medical conditions
