Salem Market Basket Worker Dies After Coronavirus Fight

SALEM, MA — A Market Basket employee who was diagnosed with the new coronavirus has died, according to a statement from the grocery store chain.

"Market Basket has learned that an associate from our Salem Massachusetts location, who had been diagnosed with COVID-19 has passed away after a brave battle with the virus," the company said.

The woman worked at the Market Basket in Salem and had last worked on March 26.

"This hits particularly close to home for me and many others, as the individual was an employee of the Salem Market Basket, our largest grocer and a location frequented by myself and many other residents," Salem Mayor Kim Driscoll said in a statement. "Even though we're socially distanced from each other, many people throughout Salem will be feeling the sadness of this loss."

It was one of two deaths of Market Basket employees reported on Tuesday. A woman who worked at Market Basket and Walmart in Danvers died after contracting the new coronavirus. The woman's husband also works at the Danvers Market Basket location.

News of the workers' deaths comes on the same day grocery store workers protested outside a Whole Foods store in Boston to demand hazard pay for continuing to work during the coronavirus pandemic.

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The Washington Post reported at least four grocery store employees in the United States have died after contracting the virus, including workers at Trader Joe's and Walmart. In Hingham, two Whole Foods workers tested positive for COVID-19.

Grocery stores have been declared essential businesses by Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker during the new coronavirus crisis. As of Monday afternoon, 260 Massachusetts residents have died after contracting COVID-19.

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Dave Copeland writes for Patch and can be reached at dave.copeland@patch.com or by calling 617-433-7851. Follow him on Twitter (@CopeWrites) and Facebook (/copewrites).