2 More San Quentin Inmates Die of COVID-19 Complications

Two more inmates at San Quentin State Prison died over the weekend from complications related to the coronavirus, corrections officials said Monday.

One of the inmates who died, Orlando Romero, 48, had been on death row since 1996 after being convicted of first-degree murder and second-degree robbery crimes committed in Riverside County. California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation officials didn't identify the other man.

Both men died at outside hospitals. Their deaths bring the total number of incarcerated people at San Quentin who have died due to COVID-19 to 21.

Currently, 145 inmates in custody at the prison have active cases of COVID-19. Active cases peaked at San Quentin in early July with about 1,600 inmates testing positive daily.

The prison has released 53 people infected with coronavirus for treatment. As of Monday, 1,965 inmates have contracted the coronavirus at San Quentin and recovered.

The prison also has the highest number of infected staff with 258 employees testing positive for the virus.

Nearly one-third of the prison's 3,200 inmates, or 971 people, have been tested in the past two weeks, according to CDCR officials.

This post includes reporting from The Associated Press.

- Raquel Maria Dillon (@RaquelMDillon)