Officials: Greene County prison inmate dies of covid-19

A 35-year-old inmate in Greene County has died from covid-19, marking the 13th inmate death within the Department of Corrections since the pandemic began, officials said.

The man, who was taken to the hospital Oct. 7 for an issue not related to covid-19, tested positive Oct. 13, according to Department of Corrections spokeswoman Susan McNaughton. He died Oct. 17.

Officials did not identify the inmate but said he was serving a 3- to 6-year sentence for sexual assault. He’d entered the system in March 2017, and he was picked up for a parole violation in July.

“We continue our battle against this dangerous invisible enemy,” said Secretary of Corrections John Wetzel. “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.”

As of Friday, 25 SCI-Greene employees have tested positive since the start of the pandemic, and there are two active cases among employees. Tests are pending for 13 staff members, officials said.

There are four active cases among inmates in the Franklin Township facility. Wetzel said those inmates are in isolation either in the prison’s infirmary or a hospital.

“What we are seeing across our system is that housing units or entire prisons can be quarantined at any given moment,” Wetzel said.

Wetzel noted a study from the National Commission on Covid-19 and Criminal Justice that showed Pennsylvania is one of only a few states in which the covid-19 death rate in prisons is lower than it is among the rest of the population.

Across all of Pennsylvania’s corrections facilities, 215 inmates are currently positive for covid-19, according to DOC data, and 619 in total have tested positive since March. There are 87 cases among employees, and 372 have tested positive total. One employee has died.

“Covid-19 is here to stay,” Wetzel said, “and our staff is constantly working to protect inmates. The congregate environment is one where covid-19 can thrive, and our goal is to prevent that from happening.”