Multnomah County battles workplace outbreaks, complaints
Employees complain of notification failures and shortcuts. Management says they re doing their best.
At the headquarters of the Multnomah County Department of Health, nine workers at the county s HIV clinic tested positive for COVID-19, forcing numerous others to quarantine and the clinic to shutter its doors for a four-day stretch in mid-December.
At the county s Donald E. Long Detention Center for juveniles, nine workers and three youth tested positive since the end of November, and jails operated by the Multnomah County Sheriff s Office have seen outbreaks of their own, with 13 inmates and 30 employees infected.
Aiken said she was “really disturbed” by the medical issues at the jail, considering that she had received weekly status reports that no one in the jail had contracted the coronavirus and learned only of Dibee’s positive test when she ordered a test for him. After that, the jail reported a second inmate also had tested positive.
Aiken ordered Dibee to be released to his sister’s home in Seattle and quarantined there once he tests negative for COVID-19. He’ll be under GPS monitoring and home detention. After his quarantine, he can live with and care for his father, who is suffering from a terminal illness, the judge said.
In January, accused eco-saboteur Joseph Dibee suffered a broken jaw during a jail attack from another inmate at Multnomah County’s Inverness Jail. A federal judge singled out the sheriff’s office
Accused eco-saboteur Joseph Dibee suffered broken jaw in Multnomah County jail attack this year. Now he’s got COVID-19
Updated Dec 24, 2020;
Posted Dec 23, 2020 He was only tested after I demanded that the federal judge order the jail to test him,” said Matthew Schindler, Joseph Dibee s defense lawyer.
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In January, accused eco-saboteur Joseph Dibee suffered a broken jaw during a jail attack from another inmate at Multnomah County’s Inverness Jail. A federal judge singled out the sheriff’s office for not taking appropriate measures to ensure Dibee’s safety.
On Tuesday, Dibee tested positive for the coronavirus.
Dibee, 53, was evaluated only after his defense lawyer sought a judge’s order that required the jail to have his client tested.