A North Carolina Correctional Institution for Women offender with pre-existing medical conditions, who tested positive for COVID-19, has died at a hospital.

“We are working hard to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 in our prisons. The health and safety of the staff and the offender population continues to be our top priority,” said Todd Ishee, Commissioner of Prisons.

The offender tested positive for COVID-19 on Dec. 24. She was hospitalized on Jan. 3. Her condition worsened, and she died on Feb. 4.

The offender was a female in her early-70s who had underlying health conditions. Given her family’s right to privacy and the confidentiality of prison offender records, the Department of Public Safety will not further identify the individual.

Prisons leadership has taken more than four dozen actions throughout the North Carolina prison system to try to prevent transmission of the virus. They are found here.