Alaska corrections agency says inmate death COVID-19 related

JUNEAU, Alaska – An inmate with underlying health issues, serving time at an Alaska prison that is experiencing a coronavirus outbreak, died from complications related to COVID-19, the Alaska Department of Corrections said.

The department in a release Sunday cited privacy in identifying the inmate as a 69-year-old who had been in custody since 2006 and was serving a sentence for murder.

The individual was taken to the hospital from the medium-security Goose Creek Correctional Center in Wasilla on Friday and died Sunday, the department said. This was the first death of an inmate related to COVID-19 within the department, the release said.

More than 200 inmates had tested positive as of last Wednesday. A message seeking comment on current case numbers was sent to a department spokesperson Monday.

For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness and death.