The spree of thirteen executions ordered by Donald Trump in the last six months of his term turned into coronavirus superspreader events, potentially connected to the infection of more than 800 people, from prisoners to guards to media members, the Associated Press reports.

The location of the executions, the federal prison in Terre Haute, Indiana, became a focal point for infections, with more than 700 of the 1,200 prisoners contracting the virus over the last six months.  On the date of the last execution, December 29, 2020, more than 400 inmates reported active infections.  Of the 47 people on death row, 33 are or were coronavirus positive.

In addition, no fewer than a dozen other people–including execution staff, media witnesses, and at least one spiritual advisor–have contracted the virus.  Because some prison staff are not required to report positive diagnoses, the full account is not readily available. 

Federal prison officials told staff that after executions, they should get on planes and travel back to their hometowns to get tested–in case they tested positive, they could quarantine at their homes instead of being required to stay in Terre Haute.

After outbreaks were identified at the prison, officials made no attempt to tell anyone involved in the executions of the disease spread.  Media witnesses, required by law to attend executions, traveled around the country, as did family members of the prisoners and others who attended.