A beloved cleaner at Brampton Civic Hospital died Thursday in the very place he long worked — devastating the staff who’d fought to save their co-worker after he contracted COVID-19, and leaving his wife and family in mourning.

The 58-year-old environmental services associate — who was not identified by the William Osler Health System at the request of his family — is believed to be the first health-care worker in Ontario to die after falling ill with the coronavirus, though Dr. Frank Martino, president & CEO of the hospital network, said that has not yet been confirmed.

An investigation launched immediately after the man tested positive for COVID-19 determined he was likely not exposed to the virus at work. Dr. Lawrence Loh, Medical Officer of Health for the Region of Peel, said in an interview Thursday that the exposure assessment did not find a link with any site within the hospital, making it a likely case of community spread.

An employee in the hospital’s rehabilitation unit, the man had come to work on March 18 and 19. But after he fell ill on March 20, experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, he went to an assessment centre to be tested. He then went home and self isolated.

A week later, he became so ill he went to his hospital’s emergency department, where he was admitted into the intensive care unit.

Dr. Brooks Fallis, the medical director of critical care for William Osler Health System, said the man’s illness and death has been exceptionally difficult for the hospital’s intensive care team — “this is someone who people within the hospital know, and liked very much,” he said.

“Much of the hospital was aware that he was in our intensive care unit, and fighting for his life,” Fallis said. “To have him die today is very hard on the group.”

During his time in the intensive care unit, doctors and nurses sought to keep the lines of communication open with his family, as they have done with all other critically ill patients who cannot be visited by their relatives.

In the last two weeks, Fallis has had many conversations with the man’s family — “they are wonderful people and I feel terrible for them over what they are going through now,” he said.

He is glad staff was able to provide the family the opportunity to speak to him through video conference while he was in the intensive care unit.

“We will continue to do whatever we can to support them through this really, really difficult time,” Fallis said.

Meanwhile, hospital staff are carrying on with their jobs and doing their best to care for other patients “while trying to take some time to grieve the loss of this man,” Fallis said.

“Every loss of life to COVID-19 is tragic. On behalf of the Region of Peel, I extend our deepest condolences to his family, both at home and at work,” Loh said in a statement Thursday.

“He played an important role in keeping the health-care system working and we mourn his loss.”

Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown called the man’s passing “tragic news.”

“This dedicated employee played a critical role in protecting the health of our community,” he wrote on Twitter. “Brampton stands with those on the front lines.”

“It’s an incredibly sad day in Ontario because of the loss of a health-care hero to COVID-19,” wrote Andrea Horwath, NDP leader of Ontario’s Opposition, on Twitter: “Our heartfelt condolences to the family and loved ones, and the entire team at Brampton Civic.”

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Loh said the death from likely community spread underscores how vital it is for people to stay home to stop the spread of the virus — especially because so many do not have that luxury.

“Stay home for the people who can’t stay home,” he said.

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