A deputy who worked in the El Paso County jail has died of coronavirus, the Sheriff’s Office said Thursday.

Jeff Hopkins, 41, had been with the Sheriff’s Office since 2001, and had previously been a patrol deputy. He most recently worked in the jail’s intake and release section. He is survived by his wife and parents, Sheriff Bill Elder said at a news conference. 

“He was as strong as an ox,” Hopkins’ father, Bobby Hopkins, told The Gazette. “He had a clean X-ray on the 22nd, and on April 1, he was gone.”

His death is among at least 16 attributed to the deadly, flu-like coronavirus in El Paso County.

Hopkins was tested for the virus two days ago and was confirmed as having COVID-19 Thursday morning, said Elder, who called the deputy an “exceptional employee.” 

It is unknown where or how Hopkins contracted the virus. An epidemiological investigation is underway, said Susan Wheelan, director of El Paso County Public Health.

Health officials said they were not aware of any underlying health conditions Hopkins might have had.

Gov. Jared Polis issued the following statement addressing Hopkins’ death:

“My condolences go out to Deputy Hopkins’ family. Deputy Hopkins spent his life serving his community and working to make our state a better place. This is an incredibly difficult time for our state, and even more so for those who have lost a loved one. Each tragic death from coronavirus is a stark reminder of why we need to stay at home. We can’t thank our first responders and law enforcement enough for serving on the front lines, demonstrating in this crisis and every day their dedication and sacrifice.”

Hopkins is the eighth sheriff’s office employee to be diagnosed with the virus, up from six yesterday, Elder said. It’s unclear how many of them worked at the jail.

Elder said Hopkins had contact with roughly 40 deputies and 25 to 30 civilians who work in intake and release. He did not address the number of inmates Hopkins might have come in contact with. The Sheriff’s Office said Thursday that no inmates have tested positive for the disease.

Hopkins “had not worked a lot of days” over the last couple of weeks and had been experiencing symptoms for seven to 10 days before his death, officials said.

Masks and other personal protective equipment are made available to jail deputies, Elder said. But masks aren’t being given to inmates “given the current supply and the usage rate,” sheriff’s spokeswoman Jackie Kirby said.

“Furthermore, many of the masks that we do have contain metal, which is a contraband item,” Kirby added.

Security concerns also prevent the jail from giving inmates alcohol-based hand sanitizer because they “will steal and drink it,” she said.

Among those reacting to Hopkins’ death Thursday was the Colorado State Patrol, which tweeted, “We are so sorry to hear of the loss of Deputy Hopkins. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and department.”

Deanna Hirsch, a spokeswoman for the ACLU of Colorado, called the deputy’s death “awful and tragic.”   

“And what’s even more tragic is that without sweeping and immediate change we’re likely to see more of this,” she said. “All the public health experts are in agreement that without the ability to practice social distancing, not only are inmates and (deputies) susceptible to COVID-19, so is the public.

“This virus is not something that just stays behind bars.”

The ACLU was among a coalition of inmate advocates who sent a letter on March 17 calling on Gov. Jared Polis to reduce the state’s population of 35,000 incarcerated people because of threats from the novel coronavirus.

Without “immediate and bold action,” those jails and prisons could drive infection rates across Colorado as inmates cycle through the state’s 57 jails and 23 prisons, the letter warned. 

As of Thursday, the El Paso County jail housed 1,100 inmates, down from its average daily population of roughly 1,500-1,550 inmates.

That reduction has made it possible to reserve areas in the jail to isolate inmates if they fall ill, sheriff’s officials have said.

One inmate is in isolation as of Thursday because of flu-like symptoms, Kirby said, down from as many as 10 inmates being isolated over flu and illness concerns at one point last month.

The jail has a supply of 100 COVID-19 tests available for inmates, Kirby said.

She said the Sheriff’s Office had a “robust” response to limit the spread of the virus.

“We consistently, often daily or hourly, evaluate our processes and look for refinements on how to do things better, as well as respond to updated guidelines from health officials when/where feasible.”