Chicago postal worker dies of COVID-19

CHICAGO - A Chicago U.S. Postal Service letter carrier has died of COVID-19.

Unique L. Clay, 31, was pronounced dead at 8:47 a.m. May 5, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office. She lived in Englewood.

Clay, a mother of three who had just given birth a week earlier, is the first active letter carrier in Chicago to die of the virus, according to a statement from the National Association of Letter Carriers. She worked for the postal service for two years.

An autopsy found Clay died of a novel coronavirus infection and ruled her death natural, the medical examiner’s office said.

More than 30 letter carriers in the city have tested positive for COVID-19, the union said.

Union representatives and employees will hold a balloon release at Kilbourn Park, 3400 N. Kilbourn Ave., in Clay’s honor on Saturday morning while wearing masks and practicing social distancing, according to the union.