Coronavirus Latest: Third SEPTA Employee Dies From COVID-19, Union Leader Says
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - A third SEPTA employee has died from COVID-19, TWU Local 234 President Willie Brown confirmed to Eyewitness News. Brown said SEPTA received news overnight on the passing of bus operator Michael Holt, of the Midvale Depot.
Holt is now the third transit system employee to die from COVID-19 complications in just the span of a week.
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The first employee to die from COVID-19 complications was Theodore Nixon, who worked out of the Elmwood Trolly Depot. He died last week.
The second employee was Phillip Williams of the Southern Depot.
Brown says there are currently 48 confirmed positive cases within the SEPTA union. Brown added the union's count of 48 comes from members who have called and informed them.
They are working on an honor system to keep their records.
Union sources say it's spotlighting the tremendous pressures essential workers are under in these unbelievable times.
On Monday, several sources across the Philadelphia Police Department pegged the number of officers and civilian members in quarantine at 200. Fifty have apparently tested positive for the virus. That figure came from multiple sources across the department.
Lt. James Walker died Sunday evening at Abington Hospital.
City leaders have declined to say how many public safety workers -- fire, police and medical -- are actually in quarantine.
Officials say response to emergency calls has not been affected and that is their logic in not disclosing those figures.
The NYPD has taken a 180-degree different approach. They reveal absentee rates of members of the force almost daily.
CBS3's Joe Holden contributed to this report.
