A state prison in Marion, Ohio, is now the United States' largest known source of COVID-19 infections, according to a New York Times database.
Why it matters: With poor sanitary conditions and close quarters for inmates, U.S. prison and detention systems are dangerously susceptible to the coronavirus. Prisons around the country have become vectors for infection, prompting authorities to either release inmates or take other steps to mitigate the spread of the virus.
The big picture: 1,937 people, or nearly three-quarters of the prison's population, have been infected at the Marion Correctional Institute. 1 in 5 confirmed COVID-19 cases in Ohio can now be traced back to the state's prison system, according to the Times.
- Chicago's Cook County jail had previously been the largest single source of cases in the U.S.
- The Marion prison now has more known cases than a meatpacking plant in South Dakota and an aircraft carrier docked in Guam.
Go deeper: Coronavirus behind bars
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