Mar 29, 2020 - Health

First federal prison inmate dies from coronavirus

Jacob Knutson

Barbed wire fence — Photo: John Greim/LightRocket via Getty Images

A 47-year-old inmate at a federal prison in Louisiana died Saturday from the coronavirus, marking the first virus-related inmate death in the federal prison system, a Bureau of Prisons spokesperson told NBC News.

Why it matters: U.S. prisons, jails and detention facilities are dangerously susceptible to the coronavirus because they are confined spaces and are often overcrowded.

They often have poor sanitary conditions. Even access to proper handwashing isn't always available, experts tell Axios. Hand sanitizers are often considered contraband in prison because they can contain alcohol.
The U.S. incarcerated population also has a surging number of elderly people who are more susceptible to severe symptoms if infected by the coronavirus.

Go deeper: First ICE detainee tests positive for coronavirus

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First federal prison inmate dies from coronavirus

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