Death of COVID-19 Positive Man from Minnesota Correctional Facility-Faribault Reported by Minnesota Department of Corrections

St. Paul, Minn.– Today, December 4, 2020, a 64-year-old man who had recently been diagnosed with COVID-19, died at St. Mary’s Hospital in Rochester. The man had been incarcerated at the Minnesota Correctional Facility-Faribault until his hospitalization.

The man’s identity is being withheld pending full notification of next of kin.

“On behalf of the Department of Corrections, I want to extend my condolences to the family and friends of this man,” said Commissioner Paul Schnell. “This man’s death along with more than 3,800 others in our state serves as a sad reminder of the impact of this pandemic. We are continuing our aggressive testing and spread mitigation efforts as we closely monitor the health status and medical needs of those who contract this virus,” Schnell added.

Minnesota has the 4th lowest incarceration rate in the nation, yet, based on available data, is 5th in the number of COVID tests (72,353) performed to date, including large states like California and Texas.

This is the sixth COVID-related death of an incarcerated person in the Minnesota DOC system since the pandemic began, and the third from MCF-Faribault. The last death at MCF-Faribault was on June 27. Faribault currently has 481 COVID-positive incarcerated people, and 67 COVID-positive staff. There are 1,783 people currently incarcerated at MCF-Faribault.

Three other incarcerated people department-wide are currently in critical condition and receiving ventilator treatment at outside hospitals. Several DOC staff members are also currently hospitalized due to COVID.

The DOC has conducted comprehensive testing of all incarcerated people and staff in our facilities, and taken measures across the system to manage the risk of COVID-19 entering facilities and spreading, including: implementing “Stay with Unit” plans, enacting mandatory barrier mask policies, and installing handwashing stations. Each facility has also taken a number of steps specific to their unique environment. Those plans can be viewed here: Facility Specific COVID-19 Responses / Department of Corrections (mn.gov). MCF-Faribault-specific plans can be viewed here: MCF-Faribault COVID-19 Response / Department of Corrections (mn.gov).