A new study identified a new large source of coronavirus. Researchers claimed that jails could spread viral disease across nearby communities. According to CNN's latest report, experts said on Monday, Aug. 3, that jails can spread the novel coronavirus inside the facility, as well as the surrounding communities, which could lead to an increasing number of infected cases.
I signed an executive order today to prevent the spread of coronavirus in L.A. County’s jails. You can read more here: https://t.co/KKNjOY0aZp pic.twitter.com/VIzckT2YPl — Supervisor Kathryn Barger (@kathrynbarger) March 24, 2020
The journal Health Affairs reported that the prisoners going in and out of Chicago's Cook County Jail seemed to have carried the viral disease. The United States officials identified many prisons as coronavirus hotspots since the ongoing global pandemic has struck the inmates across the country.
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Several jail facilities have transferred other prisoners, while others have released certain qualified inmates, to decrease the accommodated populations. On the other hand, data suggests that more 4,700 coronavirus cases through Apr. 19, in Illinois, were linked with 2,129 individuals who are going in and out of the Cook County Jail in March. For more studies about how COVID-19 spread, check the latest updates here at TechTimes. Also, check the lists of 7 Ineffective hand sanitizers, according to FDA.
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The researchers from Center National de la Recherche Scientifique in Paris and Harvard University's Department of Anthropology said that 15.7% of all the documented infections in the state and 15.9% in Chicago might be connected with the jail. They also said that before being surpassed by an Ohia state prison, the Cook County Jail was the most massive known viral disease transmission source.
"Existing conditions in jails and penitentiaries make infection control particularly difficult, putting inmates at unconscionable and perhaps unconstitutional risk," further explained the researchers.
How the researchers came up with the study
The researchers linked the relationship between the coronavirus case rates, and five variables, including the proportion of Black residents, jail inmates released in Mar., public transit utilization rate, population density, and poverty rate. The study revealed that all five variables of the whole state were positively connected with COVID-19.
The findings also showed that people in Chicago are using public transit more. They are poorer, have higher population density, and a higher proportion of Black residents than the rest of the state. "The criminal justice system in the United States is just one among many existing social structures that are being subjected to renewed scrutiny during the COVID-19 pandemic because of the public health hazards they pose," said the researchers.
They explained that the COVID-19 pandemic provided the reality of an unprecedented collective realization of national and global interconnectedness.
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Written by: Giuliano de Leon.
