The NYPD announced Friday night that a second civilian employee infected with the coronavirus has died.
Giacomina Barr-Brown worked in the roll call office at the 49th Precinct in the Bronx, and became the second NYPD employee to succumb to the virus in as many days.
On Thursday, the department announced the death of NYPD custodian Dennis Dickson, who worked at Police Headquarters for 14 years.
Mayor Bill de Blasio said at his Friday press briefing that the coronavirus pandemic is beginning to hit the city’s government employees.
At his daily press briefing, de Blasio said the pandemic has killed employees in several city agencies, including the departments of education and transportation, and the NYPD.
“It’s coming home, certainly, to our city government, to our agencies that are out there serving people every day,” de Blasio said. “We look forward to the day when we don’t have to talk about fallen comrades, but that day is still a ways off, and we have to be clear about that.”
Approximately 550 members of the NYPD have tested positive for COVID-19, and more than 4,000 have called out sick.
There are approximately 2,000 NYC firefighters and paramedics out sick — a number that represents 17% of the department. Approximately 170 FDNY members have tested positive for the virus.
The department has been serving on the front lines of the battle against the virus. Calls to 911 in New York City have reached record highs. FDNY officials have repeatedly implored New Yorkers to only call during true emergencies.
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