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79-year-old federal prison inmate sixth to die in custody from COVID-19 in Fort Worth, officials say

He was tested for the disease on April 20 after he had passed out and was revived by medical staff, according to officials.

A 79-year-old inmate at the Federal Medical Center prison in Fort Worth died on Tuesday from COVID-19, federal officials said. 

The Bureau of Prisons said Thomas Rogers had previously had long-term, pre-existing underlying conditions that made him more vulnerable to the disease.

Rogers had been tested for the disease on April 20 after he had passed out, been revived by FMC Health Services staff and then taken to a local hospital, according to a news release. 

He was serving a sentence of more than 15 years for armed bank robbery and being a felon in possession of a firearm, officials said. He had been in custody at FMC Fort Worth since July 2015.

RELATED: Family members concerned as coronavirus cases skyrocket in Fort Worth federal prison

At least five other people have died from the disease while in custody at that prison, according to federal officials. The facility currently has the second-highest number of active cases reported at a federal prison in the U.S. at 635 active cases among its 1,458 inmates. Four inmates have recovered so far.

Four staff members have also tested positive, officials said.

RELATED: Fort Worth inmate who had COVID-19 dies weeks after giving birth while on ventilator

Fifty federal inmates across the country have died of the more than 4,100 who have tested positive for the disease, federal officials report.

No staff members have died, though more than 500 have tested positive. More than 1250 inmates and 275 staff members have recovered from the disease so far. 

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