An employee of the Amazon warehouse in Long Island, New York, has died from coronavirus, the company reported.
George Leigh, who employed out of Bethpage, New York, Amazon’s fulfillment center, known as DNY4, died on April 9 of Covid-19. Leigh, 59, left behind a daughter and a number of grandchildren, as well as siblings and a mother.
Leigh worked at DNY4 as a kind of associate and learning ambassador, including the handling of packages and pallets, as well as educating new staff.
Death of the worker came as Amazon seems to be under increasing pressure to report the number of workers who have tested positive or died from the disease. In fact, strains between the two have risen.
Workers at Amazon and the ones who work in warehouses worldwide have asked the organizations to bring in motion stronger health measures, including offering paid sick leave and closing facilities.
How and when Leigh contracted the coronavirus isn’t clear.
He was the last one he store on 28 March, Amazon said. The same day, in an interview, Leigh told his boss that he was feeling exhausted and “had to go home and relax,” Todd Leigh, George’s uncle, said. Amazon denied the assertion, stating the Leigh had not called the company to say he felt unwell.
Leigh ‘s symptoms were so severe that on April 9, he was rushed to the Good Samaritan Hospital Emergency Center, saying he was unable to breathe.Less than two weeks after he first reported having signs of the infection, Leigh died soon after arriving at the hospital.
Company has consistently refused to answer questions about how many factory workers have died from the widespread outbreak. Leigh ‘s death marks the sixth reported instance of a worker from amazon who died from the coronavirus.
As the number of cases has increased, so have the company’s calls to disclose data showing the full range of employees who’ve become ill or have died recently from the coronavirus.
On Tuesday, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos and Whole Foods CEO John Mackey were asked 13 U.S. attorneys general to offer a state-by-state review of this matter.