‘He loved his job,’ says friend of Battlefords-area health care worker who died after testing positive for COVID-19

Tom Thomas was an active member in his church and in the community, a caring man who would help anyone – and a man who loved his job.

Antony Mathew, who knew Thomas since his arrival in Canada in 2016, said he and many others in North Battleford will remember his friend that way.

Thomas, a part-time continuing care assistant at Saskatchewan Hospital North Battleford (SHNB), died on Monday after experiencing chest pains nine days after he tested positive for COVID-19.

“We don’t know the reason for his death, but it’s very shocking news to his friends and to his family. To everyone,” said Mathew.

Mathew says Thomas tested positive for COVID-19 on Feb. 6, just a short time after he also received his first COVID vaccination. He was isolating in his apartment and had been feeling well up until Feb. 15.

“He felt chest pains February 15th around 6:30 p.m. He went to (the) hospital by himself. He was in the hospital emergency room since 7:00 on that evening. We do not know what time the death happened. I think no one knows, because when the physician opened the door to him, they found him collapsed on the bed,” he explained.

A GoFundMe page set up to help raise money for the Thomas family indicated he had gone into cardiac arrest at the hospital.

Mathew says friends and family aren’t sure just how Thomas contracted COVID-19, although according to the SHA an outbreak at SHNB where his friend worked, was declared on Feb. 4.

He added that Thomas’ wife is getting help from community members and their church, but is understandably having a very difficult time.

“She’s slowly accepting the reality but she’s still in bad shock now,” he said.

A viewing for Thomas will be held on Saturday, and a funeral service will be held on Sunday. His remains will be cremated and sent back to his home town in India.

A GoFundMe has raised more than $92,000 for Thomas’ family to help with funeral and living expenses.

Saskatchewan Health Authority

On Wednesday, the SHA sent out a brief statement regarding Thomas’ death, with condolences to his friends, family and co-workers.

On Thursday, a spokesperson said that to date, there have been no confirmed deaths of a health care worker in Saskatchewan from COVID-19.

According to the SHA, an outbreak declared at SHNB on Feb. 4 in the West Riverview B unit now includes nine active cases who are patients and another 14 active cases who are staff members.

One patient on the ward who tested positive for the virus has also died.

650 CKOM has asked if there has since been any additional information on Thomas’ cause of death, or whether there is any indication whether the vaccine he apparently received may have played a factor, however, we were told the SHA will have no further comment.

Premier Scott Moe and Health Minister Paul Merriman

During a tour of a mass vaccination clinic at the International Trade Centre in Regina on Thursday, Premier Scott Moe called Thomas “a hero on the front lines of delivering health care,” and offered his condolences to Tom Thomas’ family.

“There are many thoughts and many prayers and many people that are thinking of their family across this province here today,” he said.

Health Minister Paul Merriman commented on the GoFundMe page and on how quickly Thomas’ death occurred.

But when asked whether Thomas was the first health care worker in the province to die of COVID-19, he told reporters even if more information became available, there wouldn’t likely be any additional comment.

“I would guess that we would probably not be revealing all of the details ’cause it is a very tragic situation,” he maintained.
 
CUPE Local 5430

A statement released Thursday afternoon by CUPE Local 5430 says the union is heartbroken by the loss of “brother Tom Thomas.”

“It’s devastating that a dedicated father and husband was taken from us at such a young age, and our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends around the world who are mourning his passing,” it read.