One in 5 prisoners in the U.S. has had COVID-19, and 1,700 have died At least 275,000 inmates have been infected, and the spread of the virus behind bars shows no sign of slowing. By BETH SCHWARTZAPFEL and KATIE PARK of The Marshall Project and ANDREW DEMILLO of The Associated Press Share Family members of inmates in the Utah prison system hold candles and say a prayer following a rally Oct. 13 outside the Department of Corrections office in Draper, Utah. Steve Griffin/The Deseret News via AP LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — One in every five state and federal prisoners in the United States has tested positive for the coronavirus, a rate more than four times as high as the general population. In some states, more than half of prisoners have been infected, according to data collected by The Associated Press and The Marshall Project.