Oct 20, 2020 3 min read

A 35-year-old inmate at SCI-Greene died of COVID-19 Saturday, according to reports from the state Department of Corrections.

The inmate, whose name was not released, was admitted to a local hospital Oct. 7 “for issues unrelated to COVID-19,” said a Monday news release issued by the DOC. Following two tests, the man tested positive for the virus Oct. 13. He died four days later at the hospital, just 10 days after he was admitted, the release said.

According to the DOC, the man entered the state prison system in March 2017 to serve a 3- to- 6-year sentence for sexual assault. He was at SCI-Greene since July 23, “when he was returned to the facility as a parole violator,” the release states.

“We continue our battle against this dangerous invisible enemy,” Corrections Secretary John Wetzel said in a statement. “With fall upon us, we are expecting a resurgence. That is why it is vital to continue our mitigation efforts. We cannot let our guard down.”

When asked about the DOC’s response in getting the inmate to a hospital, DOC spokesperson Susan McNaughton said in an email that “there does not appear to be any issues with the inmate’s care.

“Inmates are provided with medical care at the facility, and if an inmate requires care that we can’t provide, we send inmates to a local hospital,” McNaughton wrote.

It’s the 13th inmate death due to COVID-19 throughout the state, according to the news release. As of Friday, there were four active COVID-19 cases among inmates at SCI Greene.

All of them are in isolation at the prison’s infirmary or local hospitals, the release said.

As of Friday, 25 SCI Greene employees also tested positive for COVID-19, two of whom are active cases, according to the release. There are 13 staff members pending test results, the release states. According to the release, any employee who tests positive can’t return to work until they can provide a doctor’s note releasing them from care.

“What we are seeing across our system is that housing units or entire prisons can be quarantined at any given moment,” Wetzel said in the release. “I’ve directed our staff to act aggressively and quickly when inmates report influenza-like illnesses, and that includes locking down units or entire prisons as needed.”

Wetzel said in the release that SCI Greene’s housing units have not yet been impacted by coronavirus.

“COVID-19 is here to stay, and our staff is constantly working to protect inmates,” he said in the release. “The congregate environment is one where COVID-19 can thrive, and our goal is to prevent that from happening.”