San Francisco, August 10 (RHC)-- San Quentin State Prison in California has become the site of the largest coronavirus outbreak in the United States.  Twenty-two San Quentin prisoners have died so far from COVID-19.  And over 2,200 prisoners and 260 staff have tested positive for COVID-19. 

This comes as advocates continue to pressure California Governor Gavin Newsom to grant mass release to halt the further spread of the virus inside prisons. 

One prisoner, Juan Haines — who is himself recovering from COVID-19 — spoke with reporters about conditions inside San Quentin.  Haines said: “The architectural design of California prisons are not fit for human occupation.  That’s why so many people in San Quentin are dying, because we can’t physically distance ourselves from each other.  And what’s so hurtful about this fact is that any type of contagion that gets inside of this prison is going to spread like wildfire.”