Michigan prison hot spot says 12th inmate has died of virus

Coldwater, Mich. – A 12th inmate has died from COVID-19 complications at a southern Michigan prison where more than 50% of inmates have tested positive for the coronavirus, the Corrections Department said Monday.

Lakeland prison in Branch County has a large share of the department’s older prisoners and is the first to test everyone.

The department said 785 of roughly 1,400 prisoners at Lakeland have tested positive. Only a fraction of all prisoners have been tested statewide, but the infection rate was 56%. There have been at least 33 deaths.

Among staff, 254 have tested positive and there have been two deaths, the department said.