North Carolina prison officials say COVID-19 was the cause or at least a contributing factor in the death of an inmate at Franklin Correctional Center. The inmate was a man in his early 60s. He tested positive for COVID-19 on Feb. 7 and was hospitalized 10 days later. Officials said in a news release that his condition worsened and he died Friday. Final determination of his cause of death will be made following review by the North Carolina Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. The Department of Public Safety said it will not identify the inmate, citing his family’s right to privacy and the confidentiality of prison offender records.