The county jail confirmed two more inmates have contracted the coronavirus, bringing the total to three.

Butler County Prison Warden Joe DeMore confirmed the jail's first virus case Dec. 11, and after reports of more inmates exhibiting virus symptoms, DeMore confirmed Monday that another two inmates tested positive for the virus Dec. 15. Since Dec. 10, the jail has been on “modified operations.”

On Monday, DeMore said he lifted those restrictions after determining the sick inmates had recovered. Several family members with inmates in the jail described the modified operations as a 23-hour lockdown protocol. Citing security concerns, DeMore declined to comment on the “modified operations.”

One of the inmates recently confirmed was due to be transferred to a state prison and had to be tested per Department of Corrections rules. The other most recent inmate with the virus was tested after he exhibited symptoms, according to DeMore. Family members of several inmates contend that the jail has experienced a surge in inmates exhibiting symptoms, most of whom are not being tested. DeMore said those claims were false.

DeMore said Wexford Health, the jail's health provider, administers the virus tests, which take three to five days for the results to be returned. He said they are expecting to receive the rapid swab virus test kits that can provide results within 15 minutes.

Earlier this month, the jail's administration announced during a county jail board meeting that the jail houses nearly 300 inmates, a combination of federal and local inmates. Generally, local county inmates are being held because they cannot afford bail or, in cases of serious charges such as homicide, they are being held without bail.

During the meeting, they said that all inmates coming from other facilities must test negative for COVID-19 and quarantine for 14 days in the county jail when they arrive.

DeMore said all new arrestees and inmates are quarantined for 14 days, although the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reduced its quarantine recommendation to seven to 10 days for those without symptoms.

The jail first contended with the virus in October, when two jail employees tested positive for the virus, bringing the number of jail employees who contracted the virus since the outbreak in March up to five. In response, the jail was also placed on temporary lockdown.

“We're just trucking along for now,” DeMore said.