New data shows spread of virus in prisons, including among employees, who can be major vectors for it in rural areas

Coronavirus cases among prisoners. Chart by The Marshall Project and The Associated Press.

The Marshall Project, in partnership with The Associated Press, has posted updated figures on the spread of the novel coronavirus among prisoners and prison staff in each state. 

That's important information for rural journalists, since prisons tend to be in rural areas, their employees are a major vector of the virus, and state governments' efforts to prioritize prisoners for the vaccine have sparked controversy among locals. 

There have been at least 84,291 virus cases and 139 deaths among prison staff nationwide, and 329,298 cases and 2,020 deaths among prisoners nationwide, according to the report.

The Marshall Project also just published an update to how each state is restricting prison visits during the pandemic. Click here to read it.