Second Tabor inmate dies of COVID

Columbus County News

Another inmate at Tabor Correctional has died from COVID-19.

The inmate was in his 70s and had underlying health conditions, according to the Department of Corrections. He died in an area hospital on Dec. 3. 

John Bull of the DPS said the prisoner was tested Nov. 19 and hospitalized. His test came back positive on Nov. 20.

“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.”

The offender’s name was not released, to protect the family’s privacy.

 The inmate was the second at Tabor to die from COVID-19. The first prisoner died Nov. 9, when the facility’s numbers doubled in less than 72 hours. 

Tabor currently has 141 active cases, and 418 inmates are presumed to have recovered, state figures numbers show. TCI has one of the highest infection rates in the state, according to the Department of Health and Human Services.

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Jefferson Weaver is the Managing Editor of Columbus County News and he can be reached at (910) 914-6056, (910) 632-4965, or by email at jeffersonweaver@ColumbusCountyNews.com.