Investigation: About a dozen county jail inmates may have been exposed to HIV

KWTX • February 16, 2026 • health

Key Points:

The McLennan County Sheriff’s Office is investigating an incident where a jail nurse may have exposed about a dozen diabetic inmates to HIV by using the same medication vial on an HIV-positive inmate.
Jail officials administered post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), a 28-day antiviral treatment to prevent HIV infection, to the potentially exposed inmates within the critical 72-hour window.
Edward Cortez, one of the affected inmates, confirmed receiving PEP medication and expressed fear and distrust toward the jail’s medical care following the incident.
Jail authorities have not responded to media inquiries regarding the investigation, and concerns about possible retaliation against inmates reporting the exposure have been raised by family members.