Chuckawalla Valley State Prison reopened today near Blythe after a flu outbreak caused the facility to go into lockdown.

More than 800 inmates were quarantined with the flu. Two deaths may have been related.

The prison reopened to new inmates, visitors and volunteers after a 12-day lockdown to stop the influenza outbreak that originally started in nearby Blythe on the Arizona border, Lt. Debbie Asuncion said in a statement.

The Riverside County coroner’s office and prison physicians are still investigating the death of two men, Pete Marquez, 53, and Michael Haley, 35, of Long Beach, who both complained of flu like symptoms. Their deaths have not been tied to the epidemic at the prison.

Since Feb. 23, 12 inmates were hospitalized and two are still undergoing treatment.

The outbreak struck about 650 inmates in its first two weeks and sickened a total of 805 out of the 3,145 inmates at the facility. Many reported symtoms of fever, body aches and coughs. An unspecified number of staff also reported having the flu. No inmates have been diagnosed since Saturday, Asuncion said.

The 20-year-old prison will resume regular weekend visiting, family and attorney visits, inmate transfers and regular programs, Asuncion said.

— John Asbury
jasbury@PE.com

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