Nurse At Ohio Prison Dies From Coronavirus

ORIENT, OH — A nurse working at Pickaway Correctional Institution has died from complications related to the new coronavirus, the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections (ODRC) announced. At least two prison workers and 23 inmates in state prisons have died from COVID-19 since the outbreak began.

Tina Reeves' death was announced Monday. She was a nurse in the Ohio prison system for 14 years, the ODRC said.

"As we mourn the loss, but celebrate the life of Tina Reeves, we continue to pray for our staff working everyday to fight the war against COVID-19. Thank you to our staff who are making daily sacrifices to keep Ohio safe," the department said on Facebook.

Pickaway Correctional Institute is one of the hardest hit prisons in the nation for COVID-19 outbreaks. Sixteen inmates have died from the virus since the outbreak began and 461 inmates are currently in isolation, according to ODRC.

Since the outbreaks began in Ohio's prisons, inmates like David Watkins have complained about unsafe living conditions. Watkins said he sleeps less than 3 feet away from another inmate and he finds it nearly impossible to distance himself from others.

Nearly 3,700 inmates in Ohio are currently positive for COVID-19, while 130 have recovered from the virus.

More reading:

• A Father At Risk: Faces Of Coronavirus Outbreak In Ohio Prisons
• Coronavirus Continues To Spread In Ohio Prisons
• More Than Half Of Ohio's Inmates Quarantined Due To Coronavirus
• Inmates Make Up Nearly A Quarter Of Ohio's Coronavirus Cases