Amazon on Tuesday reported its first known coronavirus death among its workforce, as the company faces increasing calls for safer working conditions inside its fulfillment centers and criticism for its response to employee activism.
The employee, an operations manager at Amazon’s facility in Hawthorne, California, died from COVID-19 on March 31, Amazon confirmed to Forbes.
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It is unclear where he contracted the virus. He last worked at the Amazon fulfillment center on March 6 before he left for a pre-planned vacation to Mexico, Business Insider first reported. He came back to the U.S. on March 20 and developed flu-like symptoms on March 26, the company said.
All employees on site were informed of his death on March 31, when the company was made aware of his death.
Workers in at least 74 Amazon warehouses across the country have coronavirus infections, according to the Washington Post, as an increasing number of employees and advocacy groups say the company isn’t doing enough to protect workers from the virus and are afraid some workers won’t be able to afford missing work if they become sick.
Amazon did not respond to a question from Forbes asking how many other infections are at the Hawthorne center.
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“We are saddened by the passing of a member of our management team in Hawthorne, California. His family and loved ones are in our thoughts, and we are supporting his fellow colleagues,” Amazon spokeswoman Kristen Kish said.
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