A 41-year-old inmate from the Middleton House of Correction died Wednesday night from complications due to COVID-19.
Essex County Sheriff Kevin Coppinger said the man, who also had underlying health conditions, was being treated at Lahey Clinic in Burlington when he passed away. He had been in the Middleton jail since Feb. 18.
“My heartfelt thoughts and prayers are with this man’s family,” Coppinger said in a statement.
A week ago, Coppinger said 42 out of 54 inmates who tested positive for COVID-19 have recovered, while 12 remaining cases then showed only mild symptoms. As of that time, 116 inmates tested for coronavirus, with 64 testing negative. Coppinger said he knew aggressive testing would result in a higher number of cases, but also pointed to the number of those who have recovered as evidence of why testing is important.
The sheriff’s office said the deceased inmate was one of 60 that have since tested positive for COVID-19, and 45 have fully recovered.