By Stella Chan, CNN
Updated 12:38 AM ET, Tue May 12, 2020

Inmates appear to purposely infect themselves with virus 01:10


(CNN)Inmates at a Los Angeles County correctional facility drank from the same cup with the purpose of infecting one another, resulting in 21 cases of coronavirus, Sheriff Alex Villanueva said.

The inmates at North County Correctional Facility in Castaic are seen on surveillance video crowding the hot water dispenser, sipping the water, and also "sniffing" out of a common mask, according to Villanueva.
"It is very disturbing to think that people would do this to themselves deliberately in an attempt to force our hand to release more people from custody," the sheriff said at a press conference on Monday.
The inmates were drinking hot water to try to raise their oral temperatures before a temperature check, he added.
Within a week of the surveillance video, 21 inmates tested positive. The sheriff estimated that the 21 people made up about 40% of the module's population at the time.

"Every inmate has access to their own cup of water which they jealously guard," the sheriff said. They use it to cook ramen noodles or make instant coffee, for example.
"It's not something they share person-to-person, and anyone who practices basic hygiene doesn't do that anyway," Villanueva said. "So, in this environment, and then considering the fact that the 21 tested positive out of that module, shows what their intention was."


Inmates at one California jail tried to infect themselves with coronavirus, Los Angeles Sheriff says

Ok na

They are tired of being in prison

Prison thrives on a hive mind. Those people know better, but which is more preferable, catching the virus willingly or taking a shank to the lungs? I know which chance I’ll take and hope I come out alive at the end of the day.