As California contends with climbing coronavirus cases throughout the state, Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday laid out plans to address a massive outbreak at San Quentin Prison — including moving inmates to a Bay Area medical center.

More than 1,000 inmates of the Marin County prison have tested positive for the virus — comprising nearly half of all current infections within the state’s prison system. Newsom called the outbreak a “deep area of focus and concern” and said his team would consider releasing inmates who are at high risk or are close to finishing their sentences. The state also is working through plans to help inmates who already have fallen ill — including transferring them to Seton Medical Center in Daly City, which already had an agreement with the state to supply extra beds as needed for COVID-19 cases.

“It’s imperative that we work to keep our inmates safe and our staff safe in these correctional facilities,” Newsom said. “And I want folks to know we are working overtime to do just that.”

As of Saturday, five inmates already had been transferred to Seton Medical Center — including three who went to the ICU, said San Mateo County Supervisor David Canepa.

COVID-19 has ripped through several California jails and prisons since the pandemic began. Officials reported 1,021 infected inmates in custody at San Quentin as of Monday — by far the worst current outbreak in the state prison system, according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation — and among the worst outbreaks in the country.

But the number of coronavirus cases continued to climb throughout the state. California had reported more than 221,000 COVID-19 cases as of Monday afternoon, according to this news organization’s analysis — including nearly 24,000 in the Bay Area. Statewide, there has been a 45% increase in new cases over the past seven days with the governor expressing concerns about the virus spreading among gatherings this Fourth of July weekend.

After speaking with health officials up and down the state, Newsom said two of his main worries include bars and family gatherings, “which is something we should all be very, very cognizant of, particularly as we move into Fourth of July weekend.”

The rise in cases and hospitalizations prompted some local officials to pause some reopening plans. Alameda County, which has recorded 5,762 COVID-19 cases, on Monday withdrew an application to the state to reopen indoor restaurant dining, salons and barbershops, pools and pro sports more quickly. In Contra Costa County, which was set to allow customers back to bars, restaurant dining rooms, gyms and other businesses Wednesday, health officials said those amenities will stay closed for now.

Newsom’s office is monitoring 19 counties with concerning COVID-19 numbers — meaning about 72% of the state’s population lives in counties on the state’s watch-list. After ordering Imperial County on the Mexico border to go back to sheltering-in-place after a spike in COVID-19 cases, Newsom on Monday said he’d be “stepping up” enforcement. This year’s budget includes $2.5 billion to help enforce health orders throughout the state, he said.

In San Quentin, the outbreak came after prison officials transferred nearly 200 inmates from the California Institution for Men in Chino in late May. As of Monday, 512 inmates at the Chino prison had tested positive for the virus. The state is evaluating that transfer, the governor said.

Meanwhile, a 71-year-old death row inmate who was found dead in his cell last week tested positive for COVID-19, the Marin County Sheriff’s Coroner’s Division said Monday, which could mark the prison’s first death from the illness.

San Quentin houses just over 3,000 inmates, and about 42% of its population has been deemed “medically vulnerable,” meaning that they’re at high risk for contracting COVID-19.

At the start of the pandemic, Seton Medical Center had set aside beds for up to 220 coronavirus patients, in case other hospitals were overrun. That agreement was supposed to end June 24 but was extended to support San Quentin inmates, Canepa said.

“This is all about stopping the virus and saving lives,” he said, adding he’s confident the state will provide the necessary security measures to make sure the medical center is safe.

Tony Armada, president of Seton Medical Center, confirmed that the center is working with the prison but declined to comment further.

To reduce crowding and prevent the virus from spreading, the state prison system already has released about 3,500 people convicted of lower-level offenses — and thousands more are being evaluated for early release, Newsom said. At San Quentin,110 people have been tagged for possible release — but, to complicate matters, only 40 of them would have a safe place to live when they got out.

Figuring out how to house people released early is something the state should have done months ago, when the pandemic first hit, said John Jones III, director of community and political engagement for activist group Just Cities. So far, the response from the state and the governor’s office to outbreaks inside the prison system has been lacking, he said.

“Having a criminal record does not remove our humanity,” Jones said, “nor does it absolve our government from protecting our humanity.”

Staff writers Kerry Crowley, Annie Sciacca and Aldo Toledo contributed to this report.