BUTTE — The Montana Department of Corrections confirmed that an inmate died Monday due to COVID-19-related illness.
The 62-year-old Montana State Prison (MSP) inmate passed away at St. James Healthcare in Butte on Nov. 23.
To protect the privacy of the deceased and his family, and to comply with state and federal law, the DOC will not release additional information.
The death will be reflected on today’s state COVID-19 tracking map and on the DOC’s COVID-19 response web page located here: https://cor.mt.gov/COVID-19 [cor.mt.gov]. While the death occurred in Butte-Silver Bow, it will be attributed to the county in which the inmate resided, Powell County, where MSP is located.
“The Montana Department of Corrections expresses its deepest sympathies to this individual’s loved ones,” DOC Director Reginald D. Michael said. “Also, I’d like to say ‘thank you’ to the staff at Montana State Prison and the medical professionals in the community who are working so tirelessly to care for the people who have been affected by this devastating virus.”
Virus activity was first identified in MSP in mid-October. As of Nov. 23, a cumulative total of 434 inmates have been infected at the facility. Of those cases, 133 are active and 301 are resolved. This week’s death marks the fourth DOC inmate who has succumbed to the virus.