Alexander County inmate dies after testing positive for COVID-19

ALEXANDER COUNTY, N.C. — An Alexander County inmate has died after testing positive for COVID-19.

The North Carolina Department of Public Safety said Monday that an inmate at the Alexander Correctional Institution with pre-existing medical conditions, who tested positive for COVID-19, died at a hospital.

“His death is saddening. We are working hard to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 in our prisons,” said Todd Ishee, Commissioner of Prisons. “The health and safety of the staff and the offender population is our top priority.”

According to officials, the inmate who was in his early-80s with underlying health conditions tested positive for the virus on Nov. 9 when he was hospitalized. His condition worsened, and he died Sunday.

Officials said the inmate’s name will not be released given his family’s right to privacy and the confidentiality of prison offender records.

According to DPS, prison leadership has taken more than four dozen actions throughout the North Carolina prison system to try to prevent transmission of the virus. Read more here.

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