As the COVID-19 caseload continues to fall in San Joaquin Valley communities, the opposite trend has been happening inside Avenal State Prison: With more than 2,500 cumulative cases, the facility now has the dubious honor of being the state prison with the highest cumulative case count. More than 250 men currently have active infections, and five have died. So what is the prison and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation doing about the outbreak, and what has the experience been for men on the inside? Plus, where are Valley counties in the state’s reopening plan, and which counties are on a course to advance to less restrictive tiers? This week’s COVID-19 update answers those questions and more, featuring excerpts from interviews with three men incarcerated at Avenal: Ed Welker, John Walker, and Thai Tran. Here’s a snapshot for Fresno, Kern, Kings, Madera, Mariposa, Merced, and Tulare Counties (note that some numbers may have changed between the interview and
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