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Utah Dept. of Corrections reports 16 COVID-19 related deaths

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Posted at 5:13 PM, Mar 18, 2021
and last updated 2021-03-18 19:13:23-04

SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah Department of Corrections reported Thursday that 16 inmates have died of COVID-19 related deaths during the pandemic.

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The announcement comes after the Utah Office of the Medical Examiner (OME) released its examination results for offenders who had died in custody.

Five new deaths have now been attributed to COVID-19, according to the OME, while two previously reported coronavirus-related deaths were found to be caused other factors.

The additional deaths occurred between December 2020 and January 2021 at either the Utah State Prison or the Central Utah Correctional Facility. Four of the deceased male inmates were between the ages of 65 and 84, while one was between the the age of 45 and 64.

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“We express our deepest condolences to the families and friends who have lost an incarcerated loved one from this pandemic,” said Brian Nielson, executive director for the Utah Department of Corrections.