Swine Flu Quarantine Prevents Gang Member Arraignment

INDIO – Riverside County jails have begun quarantining inmates with flu-like symptoms in attempt to keep viruses from spreading through the population, a sheriff’s captain said today.

Capt. Raymond Gregory, who oversees jails in Indio and Blythe, said inmates with flu-like symptoms are quarantined, along with their cellmates, for up to seven days to help prevent the spread of the virus.

“We are in one of those periods right now where we have some inmates who are being isolated and monitored,” Gregory said. “We don’t have any type of emergency situation right now, but we are continuing to implement that protocol.”

The captain said that he has not heard of any swine flu-related deaths in the jails.

Some 950 confirmed and probable cases of the H1N1 virus have been reported in the county since April, and 11 people have died from complications, according to the county’s Department of Public Health.

In response to the outbreak, detention health services in the jails have put together protocol on how to deal with anyone that has flu-like symptoms, Gregory said.

“The protocol calls for a review if we have numerous inmates in a certain housing location that are presenting symptoms that are flu like,” he said.

Once a medical hold is issued, all inmates in that location are not allowed to leave the jail, even if they have a court appearance scheduled. The new policy has caused delays in several felony cases at the Larson Justice Center this month.

Anthony Raymond Magdaleno, 18, was scheduled to be arraigned Monday on a murder charge in connection with the Oct. 10 death of a 45-year-old man at the Vons in Desert Hot Springs.

Magdaleno’s tank in the Indio Jail is on quarantine, and he has not been allowed out to be arraigned.

Riverside County Superior Court Judge Graham Cribbs said in court Monday that he was concerned about the delay because Magdaleno has a right to an arraignment within four court days.

The judge decided to postpone arraignment on a day-by-day basis until Magdaleno’s medical hold expired.

Jury selection in the trial of Armando Zabalza, Roberto Rodriguez, Juan Manuel Tagle and Victor Roman Garcia was delayed today until Nov. 2 because Zabalza was quarantined.

The four men are accused in a March 2006 gang-related fatal shooting.

Gregory said that there have only been a handful of flu cases in the jail recently, but that jail personnel are working to prevent a major outbreak.

“There is some indication that (the swine flu’s) effects might not be fully known,” Gregory said. “It would seem like we are being overly cautions at times, but we are trying to do the best we can.”