Goldstein Investigates: Terminal Island Inmate Families Protest Prison Conditions After 5 Die From Coronavirus

SAN PEDRO (CBSLA) -- Another inmate has died from COVID-19 at the federal prison on Terminal Island.

So far, five inmates have died from the virus, and over have the prison population has tested positive. Cases surged 900 percent in one week. On Friday, family members of inmates protested outside the prison.

"I'm over here worried I want to know how my brother's doing," said said one family member. "This is not right and they have rights. We are their voices."

More than 600 inmates at the low security facility have been diagnosed with coronavirus, and family members say they've been left in the dark.

"I don't know anything," said Jackie Vasquez, whose brother is serving time for a drug offense. "I went in, and they don't want to give me any information. They just said he's in there."

Prison officials have set up temporary housing to separate the sick inmates. They say they are following CDC guidelines. But, earlier this week, CBSLA investigative reporter David Goldstein spoke with a prison employee who said they were initially denied personal protective equipment.

"Nothing was provided to the staff," said the employee, who wished to remain anonymous. "They denied us and told us it could scare the inmates."

Loved ones are concerned about the conditions inside the prison.

"What do I hear from him? That it's bad inside," said Nicole Arredondo, who also has a family member at Terminal Island. "There's rats. They can't call. His cellmate was sick..nobody cares."

Congresswoman Nanette Diaz-Barragan, who represents the San Pedro area, spoke to the warden Thursday, as well as Dr. Anthony Fauci.

"I told [Fauci] about the infection rate and he seemed pretty alarmed," she said. "I've asked him to help me by advocating for inmate safety."

The outbreak has garnered the attention of both California senators — Dianne Feinstein and Kamala Harris — who wrote a letter this week to the Bureau of Prisons asking for an explanation on how such an outbreak could happen.