A Metro employee has died after contracting COVID-19, becoming the transit agency’s first-known coronavirus death.
“Overnight, we learned that we lost a friend and colleague,” the agency said on its website. “This is the first known Covid-related death in the Metro family, an employee who worked as a manager in the Rail Operations Control Center prior to becoming ill several weeks ago.”
Metro said they would not release the name or information of the employee per the agency’s professional standards, but said it is committed to being transparent about all COVID-19 cases that involve Metro employees.
About 285 employees have tested positive for the virus since March 16, with 245 of them having since returned to work, Metro said.
Grief counselors have been made available for Metro employees starting Friday, the agency said. “We extend our deepest condolences to our fallen colleague’s family and friends, and ask that you keep them in your thoughts,” the agency said in the statement.
Metrorail service has only recently returned to near pre-pandemic levels for the first time since March.
In the wake of the pandemic, Metro ridership plummeted as more and more people began working remotely. Those ridership levels have yet to return to anything near normal levels.
Rail ridership is down 88% compared to this time last year, and bus service is down 64%.
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