Another San Quentin death row inmate has died of what appears to be complications of COVID-19.
Nine inmates have now died at the prison since the outbreak began weeks ago, and officials say six of those fatalities are confirmed COVID-19 deaths.
Sixty-year-old David Reed had been on death row since 2011. He died Tuesday at an outside hospital. An exact cause of death hasn't yet been determined.
The news comes as corrections officials are expected to start filling beds Wednesday in a new emergency care facility inside the walls of San Quentin State Prison. Nearly 1,500 inmates and staff at the prison have tested positive for the coronavirus and inmates, family members and advocates have called for more transparency, better medical care and for prisoners to be released for their protection.
Marin County health officials say the county's hospitals are being strained as sick inmates are transferred out for treatment. At least a dozen San Quentin cases are being treated in Marin County hospitals, with others sent to hospitals in other Bay Area counties.
The outside treatment of inmates brings some special problems as they require added security, and the guards need their own supply of personal protective equipment, which adds to the pressure on limited supplies.
