DOVER, De - The Delaware Department of Corrections announced two inmates from the James T. Vaughn Corrections Center in Smyrna have died from underlying and COVID-19 today. Both inmates were part of a minimum security housing unit that has been closely monitored since April 8, with twice daily temperature checks. 69 year-old Richard Roth and 64 year-old Peter Schellinger were both admitted to Bayhealth earlier this month. Roth first showed signs of a fever on April 29 and Schellinger first experienced illness symptoms on May 4. The DOC also announced the number of inmate COVID recoveries have reached 57 - an increase of 2 recoveries since Monday - and that rapid COVID testing has identified 3 additional positive test results, including COVID infections of 2 asymptomatic inmates. . "Throughout our correctional system, 115 inmates have either recovered or are asymptomatic of illness, leaving only 16 inmates from only one facility who are currently experiencing any symptoms," Commissioner Claire DeMatteis said. "Across the country, even after communities successfully bend the curve by reducing new cases and growing recoveries, they have seen that a small percentage of seriously ill COVID patients who are hospitalized with complications from underlying health conditions face growing odds over time that they will not recover, even with the most responsive medical care." The DOC stated face masks have been provided to more than half of DOC's inmate population, including inmates who are in infirmaries, those with compromised immune systems, those with certain institutional jobs, such as food service, all inmates at the James T. Vaughn Correctional Center and the Sussex Community Corrections Center and nearly 250 inmates at Howard R. Young Correctional Institution.
Two D.O.C. Inmates Deaths Are Covid-19 Related
