Albany County Sheriff Craig Apple made the decision earlier this week to lock down the county’s jail. The hope is to control a recent outbreak of the coronavirus.

As of Tuesday, 59 inmates and 24 corrections officers have tested positive for COVID-19. While the majority of the infected inmates are male, a woman has tested positive, meaning the virus has spread throughout the facility.

“My biggest fear was getting it in there, and now we have to try to get it out,” says Apple.

That doesn’t mean families aren’t concerned. Cristina Robles speaks to her husband Takeam nearly every day. On Monday, he told her he was among the inmates who tested positive.

“I try to stay positive for him so he wouldn’t break down and basically, I let him know he’s not alone,” says Robles.

Takeam pleaded guilty to felony possession charges in December and is expected to be sentenced to four years in prison.

The family members of other inmates have said they’ve heard corrections officers aren’t wearing masks. They’re also concerned things aren’t being cleaned as thoroughly as they should be.

Apple says he continues to remind jail employees to wear masks and assures the public that cleaning is a priority.

“Constantly cleaning, spraying, but it’s in there,” says Apple. “It’s a congregate setting, and it’s going to be hard to get it out of there.”

Still, family members say they’ll continue to act as advocates, and be the voice for those behind bars.

“Nobody’s saying that these guys are here wrongfully accused. We understand. But at the same time, they’re still human beings,” says Robles.

The lockdown is expected to last 30 days.