3rd Alabama inmate dies of covid-19

MONTGOMERY, Ala. — The Alabama prison system said Friday that a third inmate has died after testing positive for covid-19 as the number of cases among inmates and staff members continued to rise.

Clarence Shepherd, an 80-year-old inmate at St. Clair Correctional Facility died Friday after testing positive for covid-19, the Alabama Department of Corrections reported.

The prison system said a total of 119 staff members and contract workers, and 28 inmates have tested positive for covid-19. Twenty-nine of those staff members have returned to work.

Inmate advocates and health experts have expressed concerns that the state’s crowded prisons would become a breeding ground for a deadly outbreak and urged the state to make additional changes.

The prison system has said it is taking precautions, such as distributing masks to inmates and quarantining infirmaries and other areas where there have been positive cases.

The St. Clair’s infirmary, where Shepherd was housed, is quarantined, the prison system said. The Alabama Department of Corrections wrote in a news release that the department extends its sympathies to the Shepherd family and his loved ones during this difficult time.

For some people, covid-19 causes mild or moderate symptoms that clear up in weeks. For others, especially older adults and those with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, and can be life-threatening.