Covid-19 is passing through a crowded California jail


That means the total number of infectious infections in California now stands at more than 22,300 deaths, with 90 deaths.

According to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR), about 227 Kovid-19 cases per 1000 during an epidemic translate – or about 20% of the total prison population. Among people across the state, that number is 32 cases per 1,000 people.

There has been a growing number of prison facilities across the country as local and state authorities are trying to control the enormous control that pervades California communities. On Friday, the state filed more than 22,000 new cases, breaking its previous case record. Record hospitalizations with more than 9,900 Kovid-19 patients across the state are also at a high level, with about 2,200 in intensive care units.

Governor Gavin News said the state is “a helpful point in our fight against the virus”, announcing this week a strict regional stay-at-home order, which will be implemented 48 hours after the ICU’s capacity falls below 15% in one of five regions, the Northern. California, Bay Area, Greater Sacramento, San Joaquin Valley or Southern California.

A terrible warning came weeks ago

In late October, the Inspector General’s Office released a report warning the state’s Department of Corrections of the coming outbreak.

A lack of staff has contributed to the collapse of the California prison, according to a report by the DOJ Watch Watch

“Our staff has observed that employees and detainees fail to adhere to those basic safety protocols, such as the use of physical distance and facial masks,” the report said. In addition, the Inspector General found examples of broken thermometers and inadequate screening procedures.

About 70% of the current Covid-19 outbreaks are concentrated in about five institutions in the state – some of which also have some of the highest rates of prisoner congestion. Meanwhile, at least 120% capacity has been recorded in the nine jails most severely affected by the epidemic.

Pleasant Valley State Prison in Fresno County, with a capacity of 122%, currently has the highest number of Covid-19 cases, with 992 cases out of 2,833 inmates infected with the virus.

On Nov. 15, there were about 27 cases in Pleasant Valley. Two weeks later, 457 active infections were reported. And that number has doubled in a week.

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This weather rate of transmission has become typical of all prisons in California that have low incomes due to physical distance and poor ventilation.

“It’s built into a system that has the potential to spread,” says Sharon Dolovich, a law professor at the University of California at Los Angeles and director of Covid-19 behind the BARS data project. Dolovich estimated that in order to properly deal with the Covid-19 outbreak, reducing capacity to 100% would not be enough and officials should target 60% business.

“We have known from the beginning of the epidemic what needs to be done, and it has not happened,” he said.

Efforts to reduce the population

The state’s prison system has worked to reduce the total number of inmates and fight potential outbreaks, which are currently at a three-decade low of March 97, a low of 99 – about 151,034 in March, according to the Department of Corrections. Is below.

Coronavirus cases in California prisons have multiplied in days and there are fears that the fear of inmates will spread.

But the wave of early releases has slowed in recent months, including among high-risk and older people.

Court documents show that 4 people were released between October and early November, between July 10 and August Gust, 461, but the state has also stopped giving credit, resulting in about 2,100 early releases during the summer. Was.

“We have implemented vigorous response and prevention efforts throughout the system, including mandating the use of surgical masks by all employees of our system. Anyone entering the premises of institutions is subjected to oral and temperature checks and staff and prisoner testing is done regularly.” CDCR Special Adviser Vicky Waters said.

In addition, prison intakes have been postponed until November 26, he said.

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