Regina father dies of COVID-19 days after couple's 3rd child is born

Another young father has died in Regina from COVID-19.

Ali Syed, a worker at SaskPower's Boundary Dam in Estevan and father of three young children, died Sunday from COVID-19, according to aGoFundMe pageset up to raise money for Syed and his family.

Syed tested positive for the virus in late March and was later admitted to the ICU in Regina where he was placed on a ventilator, according to the website.

His pregnant wife, Misbah Zakir, also tested positive for COVID-19 and was admitted to hospital in Regina, according to the site.

Dr. Alexander Wong, an infectious disease specialist in Regina, said Syed's wife delivered the couple's third child, a daughter, by caesarean section last week. Wong said Syed was 48.

"Every life that passes is tragic. It's preventable. We never had to have any of this happen if we had gone a different course," Wong said.

According to social media posts, Syed is believed to have caught the virus causing COVID-19 while carpooling to his job at the dam's power station,said Wong.

Wong, along with other doctors, have been advocating for paid sick leave to help stop the spread of the virus.

Wong cited a recent plan by the Science Table in Ontarioas a model for Saskatchewan to follow.

It advocated closing all non-essential workplaces and paying essential workers to stay home if sickor exposed to the virus.

Wong also wants to see all non-essential businesses temporarily closed, as well as workplaces with COVID outbreaks, something the Science Table also advised.

"I don't know what else it is really going to take for, you know, people who are making decisions to understand that this is happening.

"It's just sodepressing. It's tragic. It's all preventable."

In an emotional post on Twitter, Dr. Wong said more people will suffer and die unnecessarily unless the government imposes stricter restrictions.

An update to the GoFundMe page stated Syed's funeral will take place at Riverside Memorial Park in Regina Monday, April 26.