Florida has added a dozen inmate deaths from COVID-19 during the past week, with the total up to 131, according to numbers released Thursday by the state Department of Corrections.
The department, which reported 119 inmate deaths on Sept. 17, also has seen steady increases in inmates and corrections workers who have tested positive for the contagious disease.
As of noon Thursday, 16,207 inmates had tested positive, an increase of 10 cases from a Wednesday count. Also, 3,090 workers had tested positive, an increase of 28 from a Wednesday count.
The number of reported inmate deaths jumped from 127 on Wednesday to 131 on Thursday. As of Wednesday, 18 of the deaths involved prisoners at the Reception and Medical Center in Lake Butler, while 17 involved prisoners at the South Florida Reception Center in Doral, according to the Florida Department of Health.
Another 10 involved prisoners at Dade Correctional Institution in Florida City, while nine involved prisoners at Columbia Correctional Institution near Lake City.
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