LOS ANGELES — Inmates of a California jail have been caught on surveillance video trying to intentionally infect themselves with coronavirus.
In the video, the inmates from a Los Angeles County jail can be seen sniffing a mask and drinking from the same water bottle.
Sheriff Alex Villanueva told reporters at a news conference that the 'deeply disturbing' behavior resulted in at least 21 inmates testing positive for COVID-19 within a week.
One of the videos shared by the sheriff on Monday shows an inmate using a hot-water dispenser to fill a plastic bottle and then passing it around as multiple men take swigs from it.
The Sheriff said, 'under normal circumstances, no one would do that anyway, particularly when everyone has the same access to the water and to all the different supplies.'
The biological self-harm was a calculated attempt to raise their body temperatures because it happened moments before the nurse went to check on them.
In a different unit within the facility, another group of inmates were seen sniffing a mask and sharing hot water from a Styrofoam cup; which the sheriff said was sad to see people 'deliberately try to expose themselves to COVID-19.'
The incidents took place in mid-April inside the facility's day rooms, a common area where inmates can hang out and make phone calls.
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