1st Ontario health care worker coronavirus-related death reported in Brampton

William Osler Health System in Brampton is reporting what is believed to be the first coronavirus-related death of a health care worker in Ontario.

The Brampton man in his 50s was a long-time environmental services associate at Brampton Civic Hospital. He was being cared for in the Intensive Care Unit there before his death early Thursday morning.

He became ill on March 20 and was hospitalized on March 27.

Peel Region public health officials say an investigation has revealed he likely caught the virus in the community and not at work.

The Medical Officer of Health said, “We did not identify any potential source of exposure for the individual which is why we’ve labeled this as likely community transmission.”

A staff outbreak has also been declared at another hospital in Peel Region.

A number of health care workers at Mississauga Hospital’s Medicine Unit 4b have tested positive for COVID-19. It’s unclear how many have been infected, but a release from Trillium Health Partners says it is less than 10.

All patients within the unit have been notified and are being actively monitored.

At this point, it’s believed the health care workers acquired COVID-19 in the community and from other sources, but the investigation is still ongoing.

Ontario has reported 33 cases of COVID-19 among health care workers in 15 different hospitals across the province, but this is the first reported death.

Peel Region currently has 786 cases of the coronavirus, but have not provided a breakdown of how many health care workers have been infected.