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ST. PAUL — The Minnesota Department of Corrections on Saturday, Dec. 19, reported the coronavirus-related death of another inmate at its Faribault prison.
The 70-year-old man died Saturday morning at District One Hospital in Faribault. The inmate, who wasn’t identified, was recently diagnosed with COVID-19, the Corrections Department said in a statement.
So far, nine incarcerated individuals have died of COVID-19 in the Minnesota state prison system. Five have been in Faribault.
The facility for men currently has 272 COVID-positive inmates along with 43 staff members. The facility has an inmate population of 1,763.
“This man’s death is another sad reminder of the risks and challenges of preventing and managing virus infection and spread in a correctional setting,” Corrections Commissioner Paul Schnell said in the statement. “Even as we see the release of new vaccines, we cannot let down our guard. We extend our deepest condolences to the loved ones of this man, and we remain committed to doing all we can to prevent the spread of COVID in our facilities.”
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The DOC said it is working with the state Department of Health to finalize plans for immunizing prison inmates and staff.
