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An inmate sits on his bed at the Draper Correction Facility in Elmore County on February 6, 2017. The Draper Correction Facility is the oldest correctional facility in the state of Alabama. The prison opened in 1939. It currently houses 1059 prisoners, the capacity of Draper is 656.(Photo: Albert Cesare / Announcer)Buy a photo

The Alabama Public Health Department confirmed Friday a bacterial outbreak at Ventress Correctional Center following the death of an inmate on Monday.

ADPH has identified three inmates who have been hospitalized with infections caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae, a bacterium that can cause respiratory infections and more serious diseases such as pneumonia and meningitis.

Two of the patients developed meningitis and one died on Monday.

More: The medical mystery: the Alabama detainee dies, cause of death "unknown"

"The Alabama Department of Corrections will provide antibiotics to inmates and staff who have had close contact, shared cigarettes and other personal items with inmates with laboratory-confirmed pneumococcal disease who have fever or flu-like syndrome. " an ADPH statement said.

ADPH has also ordered a vaccine from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. ADOC will administer the vaccine to unvaccinated persons who have been in close contact with the inmates during the last week. The bacterium is spread by "respiratory droplets," said ADPH, as saliva and mucus.

The announcer reported Tuesday that a Ventress detainee had died and confirmed with the ADHD that the detainee had already tested positive for the bacteria. The ADPH denied Tuesday an outbreak and said they had no evidence at the time to indicate a cause of death or a connection between the two detainees.

ADOC Tuesday did not respond to questions from advertisers about potential foreclosure procedures at the jail.

"An inmate assigned to the Ventress Correctional Center in Clayton was treated at a local hospital when his death was reported yesterday," said ADOC spokesperson Bob Horton on Tuesday. "There was no criminal play but the cause of death is not known yet."

Ventress, about 75 miles southeast of Montgomery, is an average day-care facility, according to the ADOC website. It offers alcohol and drug treatment courses, as well as community services to some public bodies.

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