‘Friendly’ Filipino worker dies after Aliments Asta outbreak in Quebec
Updated: April 26, 2021, 10:20 A.M.
By Ysh Cabana
Toronto
Churchmates, colleagues and close relatives are saddened by the death of Alvin Becare- the latest victim of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The 34-year-old died on April 18 after contracting COVID-19 linked to an outbreak of the virus at the Aliments Asta meat processing plant in Bas-Saint-Laurent, Quebec.
“He was very friendly, in a good mood, he worked as a team and was a good teammate. We were in shock,” said his colleague Jordan Dumont in an interview with the French-language daily Le Journal de Quebec.
Becare died at his home in Saint-Alexandre-de-Kamouraska, 170 kilometers northeast of Quebec City.
He is survived by his wife and their two children who still lives in the Philippines. He is a native of Palompon, Leyte.
Earlier reports from the regional public health authority show that Aliments Asta was affected by a COVID-19 outbreak through community transmission. Officials said the situation “remains precarious” for the family-owned plant after 450 workers were tested and have been cleared to return to work.
Canada’s 19th death in dairy/meat packing plant
The meat-packing sector has been hard hit by the health crisis. While plants now have access to protective equipment such as masks and have implemented processes for employee vaccinations, meat processors across North America have struggled to contain infections, due to close quarters at work and the fact that many are part of large households.
Across Canada, there have been at least 19 deaths in dairy/meat packing plants, according to independent researcher Nora Loreto, who has been tracking every COVID-19 related deaths and where those infections began.
Among victims of the pandemic include 42-year-old Gabriel Deng who worked at the Exceldor in Manitoba, 50-year-old Henry de Leon and 35-year-old Darwin Doloque worked at Olymel, Alberta, 51-year-old Benito Quesada and 67-year-old Hiep Bui worked at the Cargill beef processing plant in High River, Armando Sallegue, 71, whose son also works at Cargill.
Related reading:
Covid-19 Chronicles 9: Are Filipinos being used as sacrificial cows?