An influenza outbreak at a western Indiana prison has sickened more than 20 inmates and is believed to have contributed to the death of one prisoner, officials said Tuesday.
The H1N1 flu strain is responsible for the outbreak, said Dr. Michael Mitcheff, the Department of Corrections’ chief medical officer. It is one of the predominant strains causing illness this year, according to the most recent weekly flu report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
About 35 inmates developed flu-like symptoms at the Putnamville Correctional Facility near Greencastle, Indiana Department of Corrections spokesman Ike Randolph said.
There are 13 inmates at Terre Haute Regional Hospital, including two in the facility’s intensive care one, Mitcheff said. One man is having respiration difficulty and has been placed on a ventilator. The other has a low white blood cell count, which suggests that he could have pneumonia.
At least two members of the prison staff have gotten sick and been treated, Mitcheff said.
Inmates first began exhibiting symptoms on Friday and officials reached out to the CDC and the Indiana Department of Health for help test the population at the facility which holds about 1,500 inmates, Randolph said.
On Friday officials noticed that inmates were falling ill very quickly, and some had serious symptoms.
A few men were having trouble breathing and coughing up blood,” said Mitcheff. They were sent immediately to the hospital, he said, and found to have “rapidly progressive pneumonia.”
The inmate who died was “already in fragile condition” before he got sick, Randolph said. An autopsy has been performed and results should be known Tuesday, he said.
In accordance with federal privacy law, the deceased prisoner’s name is not being released, Randolph said, but the man is a Mexican national. Mexican authorities have been notified and are expected to retrieve the body to give back to the inmate’s family.
Putnamville Correctional has a staff of doctors who are working constantly to treat inmates, he said. And officials are trying to stop the spread by distributing face masks and sanitizing hand wipes. Common areas have been wiped with bleach, officials said, and at least 100 air filters in the prison have been replaced.
Though inmates were previously offered flu shots, those who didn’t receive one are being offered another chance. Staff have been offered flu shots as well.
Although the prison isn’t allowed to release names of inmates who are being treated due to federal health privacy law, officials are still trying to soothe worried family members who have heard about the illness and call the facility.
“If we have a mom who is really anxious and calls the prison wanting to know if her son is sick, we will tell that offender, ‘Call your mom and tell her you’re OK,'” Randolph said. “We were getting those calls all day yesterday.”