FORT WORTH, Texas — Hundreds of inmates inside Fort Worth Federal Medical Center have tested positive for COVID-19.
Melody Meza’s father, James Holley, is one of them.
“He’s been scared. He’s been upset,” Meza said. “My biggest fear is losing my father just due to the fact that he’s not sentenced there to die.”
He tested positive last week when there were 240 cases in the facility.
Federal officials reported 467 active cases at the FMC Wednesday, but they won’t share how many total cases they’ve had or how many of the 1,472 inmates are being tested.
“They’ve been packed in, crammed into units like sardines he compared it to,” Meza said.
The women’s federal medical center in Fort Worth, FMC Carswell, reported an inmate died just weeks after getting the virus and giving birth. Four inmates have died at the men’s facility.
Tarrant County Health Director Dr. Vinny Taneja says they’ve assisted CDC officials.
“From a resource standpoint, they’ve got it all,” Taneja said.
The prison recently added outdoor tents with room to separate 123 inmates, but it’s unclear if they’re using it.
“Sometimes it’s just the nature of the disease, it just takes off,” Taneja said.
Jovanni Guerrero’s father had been hospitalized with the disease and put on a ventilator for four days before a social worker let them know.
“If it was any other place, people would be worrying about it so much,” Guerrero said. “It’s very confusing and it’s very disappointing that they’re not able to give us any updates on this.”
Families want all guards to be tested. Federal officials say they screen guards for temperatures and provide masks to both guards and inmates but they don’t track of which guards are tested.
“How are the inmates going to contract it if they’re there?” Meza said.
Families complain of a lack of information and communication, and, as cases rise, the fear from inmates and families continues to grow.
“It could be one day, today, he’s ok and the next day he’s gone,” Meza said.