The head of a critical care unit at a Baltimore hospital, who “selflessly continued his work on the front lines” as the coronavirus pandemic spread throughout the region, died after contracting the virus.
The head of a critical care unit at a Baltimore hospital, who “selflessly continued his work on the front line” when the coronavirus pandemic spread throughout the region, died after contracting the virus.
Dr. Joseph Costa, chief of the critical care unit at Mercy Medical Hospital in downtown Baltimore, died Saturday, the hospital said in a statement.
Costa was 56 years old and the cause of death was COVID-19, spokesman Daniel Collins told WTOP in an email.
Costa, who joined the hospital in 1997, has served as the hospital’s critical care chief for the past 15 years.
“He dedicated his life and career to caring for the sickest patients,” hospital officials said in a statement shared on the hospital’s Facebook page. “And when the global pandemic seized us, Joe selflessly continued his work on the front lines, deeply committed to serving our patients and our city during this time of great need. His memory will live as an example for all of us ”.
In addition to serving as chief of the critical care unit, Costa served as Mercy’s medical staff officer for six years and as president of the medical staff for two years.
Costa earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Virginia and completed his residency at the University of Maryland.
Costa was known for his “friendly and comforting bedside treatment, as well as his direct and informative communication style,” according to the statement.
To the nurses and other staff members, “he was like an older brother that everyone admired and revered.”
Planning for a memorial service is already underway, according to a statement by Sister Helen Amos, executive chair of the hospital’s board of trustees, and Mercy’s president and CEO, Dr. David Maine.
The city of Baltimore, which has recorded more than 10,500 total cases of COVID-19 and more than 380 deaths, has been severely affected by the coronavirus pandemic.
Last week, health officials from various Maryland jurisdictions, including the city of Baltimore, asked Governor Larry Hogan to reimpose some coronavirus restrictions amid a surge in state cases.
According to a recent analysis by PolicyLab at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, the city of Baltimore has experienced one of the highest rates of growth in new coronavirus cases among major cities in the US in the past two weeks.
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