SALEM — Gov. Kate Brown’s office confirmed late Monday that it had received a list of inmates who may be potential candidates for early release amid the coronavirus pandemic.

But the office declined to make the information public and instead directed The Oregonian/OregonLive to submit a public records request. State corrections officials also did not respond to the news organization’s request for the material.

Brown last week directed the agency to provide her with information about prisoners who fall into seven categories, including those with high medical needs and those approaching the end of their sentences. The governor said she wanted the information by Monday.

Corrections officials last week estimated that 3,244 inmates fell into the categories the governor outlined and a day later Brown signaled she would not support a large-scale release of prisoners.

“I want to be clear: at this time, I have no specific plans to abandon that case-by-case approach,” she said in a statement issued Friday.

The Oregon District Attorneys Association on Monday said it too had filed a public records request for the information corrections officials provided Brown’s office, saying “any consideration regarding the early release of prison inmates should be transparent.”

A group of inmates has sued Brown, Corrections Director Colette Peters and other top prison officials, filing a class-action lawsuit over the alleged failure to protect them from the pandemic. The federal suit asks prison administrators to provide adequate medical care, access to cleaning supplies and testing for those who may have been exposed.

So far, the agency has reported a total of 13 confirmed cases of the illness among inmates and staff.

Meanwhile, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee on Monday said he would release nearly 1,000 inmates serving time for nonviolent offenses to create more space in its prisons after coronavirus spread in one of the state’s largest prisons.

The decision came after the Washington Supreme Court responded to an emergency motion filed by a group of offenders. The court ordered Inslee and Corrections Secretary Stephen Sinclair to submit a plan by noon Monday.

It’s the latest move by governors across the nation who are having to address possible COVID-19 outbreaks in their prison systems.

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear has said he would release more than 900 prisoners. Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine launched a similar effort that could lead to the release of 200 inmates.

In Washington state, at least 14 corrections employees and eight inmates have tested positive for the virus. Tests were pending for an additional 50 inmates and more than 900 were under quarantine orders. There are about 18,000 people incarcerated in the state.

The state’s largest outbreak is occurring at Monroe Correctional Complex where five workers and seven offenders have COVID-19.

— The Associated Press contributed to this report.

This article was originally published by The Oregonian/OregonLive, one of more than a dozen news organizations throughout the state sharing their coverage of the novel coronavirus outbreak to help inform Oregonians about this evolving heath issue.