A federal inmate in Lousiana has died from the coronavirus, COVID-19, marking the first such death within the federal system, NBC News reports.
According to the report, at least five prisoners have tested positive for the virus at the Oakdale Federal Correctional Institution, where Patrick Jones, 47, died on Saturday.
Jones, who was serving a 27-year sentence for possessing crack cocaine with intent to distribute within 1,000 feet of a junior college, had complained of a persistent cough and was hospitalized on March 19. His health rapidly declined, and by the next day he was placed on a ventilator.
According to the Bureau of Prisons, Jones had “long-term, preexisting medical conditions.”
As the virus continues its rampage across the United States, many concerns have been raised about the health and rights of those who are incarcerated.
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