Estimated read time: 1-2 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
DRAPER — An 82-year-old Utah State Prison inmate who had tested positive for COVID-19 died in the prison Wednesday morning, authorities said.
Though he tested positive for COVID-19 on Friday, his death is still being investigated by medical examiners and it's not clear if it will be attributed to the disease, the Utah Department of Corrections said.
He had several "complicating comorbidities" that may have contributed to his death, the agency said in a news release. Though he tested positive for the disease, he had not reported any symptoms of COVID-19 before his death, the release said.
The man was found dead Wednesday morning in his housing section in the Oquirrh 5 block at the prison. That block houses the prison's most medically vulnerable inmates, according to the release.
No other information about the man was provided. His family has been notified of his death, the release said.
As of Wednesday, there are eight confirmed COVID-19 cases within the prison, according to the department of corrections. Friday, the prison went into a 24-hour "code red" lockdown following a second outbreak of the disease at the facility.
Prison officials are continuing to heavily monitor individuals within the prison, with an emphasis on the Oquirrh 5 block, the release said.
