By Eli Walsh | Bay City News Foundation
Three dozen COVID-19 cases have been confirmed at Santa Rosa’s Samuel L. Jones Hall Homeless Shelter this month, with more than 120 residents at the shelter exposed to the virus, according to the city.
City officials and Catholic Charities, which operates the city-owned shelter, confirmed the first two positive cases on Jan. 4. Since then, 121 residents have been exposed and 36 have tested positive, as of Thursday.
The most recent positive test was Tuesday, according to the city. None of the infected shelter residents have been hospitalized.
The shelter also experienced an outbreak of cases in July and August 2021, when the delta COVID variant first arrived in Sonoma County.
Residents are tested twice weekly to monitor the virus’ potential to spread at the shelter. New intakes have been temporarily paused until the shelter has confirmed at least two rounds of negative tests.
