COLDWATER, Mich — More than 50% of inmates tested at a Michigan prison have been infected with the highly contagious coronavirus and at least 11 have died.
Lakeland prison in Branch County in southern Michigan continues to be a hot spot. It has a large share of the system’s older prisoners. The department said it was testing all prisoners at Lakeland regardless of symptoms. The Lakeland facility houses 1,400 inmates. The same strategy will be used this week at the Cotton prison in Jackson County.
Across the prison system, the state says 55% of prisoners tested so far have the virus and 31 have died. Two staff have died.
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services reported 575 new cases of COVID-19 in their daily update Sunday, April 26. Officials also reported 41 new deaths, bringing the total to 3,315.
The Michigan Department of Corrections reported 1,031 cases with 32 deaths in the state's Sunday update as well. The Federal Corrections Institute reports 81 cases and one death.
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