Third Deer Ridge inmate dies after positive test for COVID-19

(Update: DOC says Two Rivers’ 30th inmate died with COVID-19)

Prison outbreak near Madras slowed, with 23 active cases

MADRAS, Oregon. (KTVZ) – An inmate at the Deer Ridge Correctional Institution near Madras who tested positive for COVID-19 died on Saturday at an area hospital, the Oregon Department of Corrections said.

The adult in custody (AIC) was between 55 and 65 years old, the agency said in a press release. As with other COVID-19-related deaths, DOC did not disclose additional details.

As with all deaths in custody, the Oregon State Police has been notified and the coroner will determine the cause of death.

He was the 29th state inmate to die with a positive test for COVID-19.

Later on Saturday, the agency said an inmate at the Two Rivers Correctional Institution in Umatilla died on Saturday at a local hospital. The man, aged 75 to 85, was the 30th inmate in the state prison to test positive for COVID-19.

For more information on COVID-19 cases within Oregon prisons, visit the DOC’s COVID-19 website. The agency is responsible for the care and custody of 13,000 adults in custody who are incarcerated at 14 institutions across the state.

According to the Corrections Department’s COVID-19 tracker, there are 23 cases of COVID-19 currently active among inmates at Deer Ridge, compared with more than 100 reported during an outbreak last month. The number of self-reported cases by the team has grown to 43.

The facility has had 243 positive COVID-19 cases to date and 1,472 negative test results. Like most state prisons, Deer Ridge is on Level 4, with the entire institution quarantined.

Overall, there are 544 active cases of COVID-19 reported in state prisons, with 2,994 positive tests in total, 2,353 inmates recovered and 14,800 negative test results. Seventy inmates with a positive test were released.

A total of 744 state prison officials reported positive results from the COVID-19 test, with 567 recovering.

Anyone entering the DOC property is required to wear a mask or facial covering in any indoor work environment or other indoor facilities, regardless of distance from other people, unless they are in a private individual office not shared by anyone; or are actively eating or drinking AND at least six (6) feet away can be kept among other people. Masks are always mandatory in many areas of work.

Institutions continue to clean and disinfect several times a day. DOC asks AICs to report COVID symptoms to medical staff.

Posters are in all DOC institutions encouraging individuals to maintain proper hygiene and to maintain appropriate social distance as far as possible.

Health screening processes are implemented before employees are allowed to enter the facility. This screening includes a temperature check and a screening questionnaire. The visit remains closed until further notice.

DOC began administering the COVID-19 vaccines – eventually offering them to all DOC employees, contractors, employees of Oregon Correctional Enterprises and adults in custody.

The prioritization of vaccines is determined by guidance from the Oregon Health Authority, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, and the Office of the Governor.

Before the COVID-19 crisis, DOC issued a press release when an AIC passed away. Such notification would include the person’s name, the county of conviction, the length of the sentence and the date of death.

However, no cause of death would be listed, because the coroner makes this determination.

“In order to balance the desire for transparency with our legal obligation to protect personal health information, we changed the AIC death notification process when someone who is positive for COVID-19 dies,” the agency said. “DOC is working with the Oregon Health Authority to publish data and information related to COVID-19 on the OHA website.”