Coronavirus Is Surging In State Prisons

Two months ago there were fewer than 100 cases among California's state prison inmates.

Since then, there have been 3,000 more cases, mostly spread among six prisons. The California Institution for Men in Chino currently has more than 500.

The state says some of that has to do with expanded testing.

Fourteen inmates have died; 13 of them were in Chino. The first female inmate died on Tuesday. She had been at the California Institution for Women in Corona, which now has around 100 cases of the virus.

In late May, the state started transferring hundreds of inmates from Chino to 12 prisons that had no coronavirus cases.

One of them, San Quentin, now has 16.

Five prisons are now conducting mandatory testing of staff — including the prisons in Chino and Corona.

GO DEEPER:

• The Coronavirus Has Torn Through Terminal Island Prison. Families Want Answers.
• Throwing A Spotlight On Women Prison Inmates' Coronavirus Fears
• Fighting Coronavirus, State Prisons Seek To Disable Inmates' Sleep Apnea Machines
• 'I Don't Want to Feel Like A Sitting Duck.' COVID-19 Stokes Fear Inside A California Prison
• Inmates' Families Struggle With COVID-19 Suspension Of Jail Visits

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