Liberian detainee once isolated at Kenosha Co. Jail no longer in Wisconsin



KENOSHA (WITI) -- A woman who was being closely watch by Kenosha County officials for signs of the Ebola virus is now out of Wisconsin. The Kenosha County Sheriff's Department says the immigration detainee from Liberia being held in its jail left with federal officials early on Thursday, October 9th. Officials say she remained in good health and still showed no signs or symptoms of the Ebola virus.

Authorities say the detainee left the jail around 5 a.m. and was transported to O’Hare International Airport and turned over to the custody of the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol agency.

The woman came into the jail from O’Hare International Airport in Chicago around 1 a.m. on Wednesday, October 8th. As officials screened her, they realized she was from Liberia — a country hard hit with the Ebola outbreak. Officials say the woman was brought in as a federal immigration detainee until she could be deported.

The U.S. Customs and Border Patrol agency has assured the Kenosha County Sheriff’s Department that the detainee was screened according to the Center for Disease Control guidelines.  U.S. health officials meet arriving passengers at the plane and screen and clear them daily for admittance to the U.S.

The detainee was healthy and showed no signs or symptoms of the Ebola virus.  However, as a precaution, Sheriff Beth had ordered the detainee to be isolated within the medical unit in the jail and monitored by nurses regularly for any signs or symptoms that present themselves.

For about 10 years, the Kenosha County Sheriff’s Department has housed federal inmates at the Kenosha County Jail.  Over this period of time they have received detainees from all over the world.  This is the first time they have received a detainee from a country involved in the Ebola virus situation.

"It's just something that has to be thought about because you're weighing kind of this scare even though there was never any symptoms, the person who was here was never sick and when she left she was never sick," said Sheriff Beth.

Sheriff Beth is reviewing the procedures of the jail with staff and evaluating their relationship with the federal government due to this situation.

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