The Alabama prison system reported its fourth case of COVID-19 in a state inmate.
The Department of Corrections announced the positive test in a news release. The inmate was at the Elba Community Based Facility/Community Work Center.
The prison system said the inmate was moved to the Easterling Correctional Facility and placed in an isolation cell, where he will receive medical treatment. Inmates at the Elba facility have been quarantined and will be monitored with temperature checks for signs of illness.
The prison system has so far reported four COVID-19 cases. One inmate who tested positive for the virus has died.
Inmate advocates and health experts have expressed concerns that the state’s overcrowded prisons would become a breeding ground for a deadly outbreak and urged the state to make additional changes.
Corrections Commissioner Jeff Dunn said the prison system is distributing masks to inmates and taking other precautions.
Alabamians for Fair Justice, an advocacy group, donated more than 3,200 bars of antibacterial soap and others hygiene supplies to the prison system. The prison system thanked the group for the donation and said the items will be distributed to inmates deemed at high risk.
For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms that clear up in weeks. For some, especially older adults and those with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, and be life-threatening.
Republished with the permission of the Associated Press.
