Two more employees at the Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice have tested positive for the novel coronavirus, agency officials said.
The employees work at the Eastman Youth Development Campus in Eastman and the Sumter Youth Development Campus in Americus.
DJJ officials announced last month that another DJJ employee had tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. That employee worked at the Metro Regional Youth Detention Center in DeKalb County.
Seventy-nine employees who came into contact with those who were sick — either at the DJJ or elsewhere — have self-quarantined or isolated themselves for two weeks, officials said.
Four exposed employees have returned to work. None of the employees who self-quarantined have symptoms, agency spokesman Glenn Allen said.
Allen said none of the about 1,200 young offenders in DJJ custody, who are screened by medical staff twice a day, have displayed any symptoms of COVID-19.
The youth offender advocacy group African American Juvenile Justice Project, based in Warner Robbins, sent a letter to DJJ Commissioner Tyrone Oliver on Friday asking him to release those in the agency’s custody.
Sherri Jefferson, the group’s founder, said releasing the young offenders will help keep them safe from the coronavirus.
Oliver declined to comment on the letter.