Fourth inmate dies in Buckingham County prisons

Published 11:44 am Friday, May 29, 2020

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A third prisoner has died at the Buckingham Correctional Center (BKCC) as a result of the coronavirus outbreak. The death is the fourth in Buckingham County prisons.

Overall, seven inmates have died in Virginia prisons since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic. Five state prisons have had an inmate die as a result of the coronavirus. BKCC is the only facility in the state to have more than one death.

BKCC has had a total of 113 positive tests at the facility since the beginning of the pandemic. Eight staff members have also been infected. The Virginia Department of Corrections (DOC) says 44 inmates remain actively infected by the coronavirus at the facility.

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At the Dillwyn Correctional Center (DCC), the DOC lists a total of 322 positive tests for coronavirus. Nine staff members have also tested positive for the virus. DCC currently lists 121 inmates onsite who actively have the coronavirus.

Prince Edward County coronavirus cases remained steady at 129 in Friday’s Virginia Department of Health update but Buckingham and Cumberland county numbers continue to increase.

Buckingham County virus cases rose to 453, that’s up eight cases since Wednesday. County administrator Rebecca Carter wrote in a Facebook comment that she was informed the county had 13 new cases in the past week and that none of those cases were connected to the outbreaks at the county’s two prisons.

“I know some of those 13, so it is real and is the truth,” Carter’s comment said.

Cumberland County increased by three cases to 35 total. Lunenburg County’s total increased by two cases to 12. Charlotte County’s numbers held steady at 23.

As of Friday’s update, Virginia had experienced 42,533 total cases and 1,358 deaths. The University of Washington model is now projecting a total of 1,956 deaths in Virginia from coronavirus by August 4.