The COVID-19 pandemic officially claimed its first Toronto victim over the weekend with the death of a 77- year-old man.
News about the unnamed patients's death came from son-in-law Rick Singh Mann after he posted to Facebook a note indicating that the man had passed away on Saturday at Trillium Health Partners hospital in Mississauga.
"Dear Friends," the message begins. "Yesterday my father-in-law passed away. He had COVID-19. He is one of the first people (maybe the third?) to pass away from this disease in Ontario."
"Up until just over a week ago, he was healthy. Despite his age of 77, he had no other health conditions."
"But he died in the ICU at our hospital despite the amazing care he received from the exceptional nurses and doctors who looked after him. Despite being on a ventilator. COVID-19 took just seven days to take him away."
According to health officials, the man had recently travelled to the United Kingdom and has been self-isolating until he was admitted to the hospital on March 14.
The death marks the first in the city and the fifth in the province where there are currently 412 positive cases of the novel virus.
"Please, take all this information that you are receiving regarding COVID-19 seriously," the Singh urges. "I plead this with you not only as a front line emergency worker, but as a family member who has experienced first-hand a great loss from COVID-19."
A statement from THP President & CEO Michelle DiEmanuele following Toronto's first death related to COVID-19. ⬇️
— Trillium Health Partners (@THP_hospital) March 22, 2020
Our deepest condolences to the family & loved ones during this difficult time.
More info: https://t.co/tLbB0ixnBW pic.twitter.com/rt7UoX2NV3
The province of Ontario issued a state of emergency response last week that saw many non-essential businesses close and strict measures put into place to reduce the spread of the virus.
Mayor John Tory issued a statement yesterday regarding the 77-year-old man's death, saying that "this is the first death of a Toronto resident related to COVID-19 and a tragic reminder that we are confronting a deadly virus."
"The advice from Toronto Public Health is simple: work from home where possible, stay home except to get essential supplies, and maintain social distance by keeping at least two metres (6 feet) from others."
by Lisa Power via blogTO
No comments:
Post a Comment