A section of the Utah State Prison at the Point of the Mountain in Draper is pictured on Friday, Sept. 11, 2020. (Scott G Winterton, Deseret News)
DRAPER, Utah — An 82-year-old prison inmate, who also tested positive for COVID-19, has died, the Utah Department of Correction said Wednesday.
The inmate was found deceased in his Oquirrh 5 facility cell at the Utah State Prison in Draper on Wednesday morning, according to a statement from the department.
Before his death, the department said the inmate tested positive Oct. 30 for COVID-19, but, “he had reported no symptoms up until the time of death.”
In a statement, department said the prisoner had “several comorbidities,” which likely contributed to his death. It’s unclear if the inmate died as a result of COVID-19. The medical examiner will determine cause of death.
The department said medical staff is monitoring potential COVID-19 outbreaks at the prison, emphasizing vigilance over the Oquirrh 5 facility where the prison’s most medically vulnerable prisoners reside.
COVID-19 coronavirus spreads person to person, similar to the common cold and the flu. So, to prevent it from spreading:
Utah’s Coronavirus Information
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Utah Coronavirus Information Line – 1-800-456-7707
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention