Ontario health-care workers to hold minute of silence for cleaner who died from COVID-19
Will also honour nearly 1,000 health workers with the virus and those they care for
Tens of thousands of long-term care and hospital workers across Ontario will stand in their workplaces for a minute of silence at 11 a.m. on Friday for the Brampton hospital cleaner who died of COVID-19.
The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) says they will also reflect on the nearly 1,000 health-care workers — some of them their fellow co-workers — who have tested positive for COVID-19, and all patients and residents they're caring for during the pandemic.
CUPE says the health-care workers have a simple message for Ontario Premier Doug Ford and his health minister: "Much more must be done to protect us before any more are needlessly infected with the coronavirus."
As of midday Thursday, 980 health-care workers had tested positive for COVID-19 since the outbreak began.
Health-care staff make up about 11 per cent of all reported COVID-19 cases in the province but make up only about three per cent of Ontario's population overall.
Late last week, the 58-year-old health-care worker at Brampton Civic Hospital died from complications linked to COVID-19, marking the first time an Ontario hospital confirmed the death of one of its employees amid the pandemic.
William Osler Health System made the announcement last Thursday.
"The health-care worker, a long-time [cleaner] with Osler's Brampton Civic Hospital, was being cared for in Brampton Civic Hospital's intensive care unit," the organization said in a statement.
"Our entire organization is devastated by this news, and our thoughts and prayers are with the family at this difficult time."
In a news release, Peel region health officials said the Brampton, Ont., man "likely acquired the virus in the community and not at work."