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The number of people infected with COVID-19 from a costume-related Christmas Day outbreak in the emergency department at Kaiser Permanente San Jose is approaching 100.
Kaiser said on Wednesday that 74 employees who worked Dec 25 and 15 patients “related to Dec 25” tested positive. An employee working in an emergency room on December 25 died of complications from COVID-19.
“Out of respect for the privacy of patients and families, we have no additional information to provide,” Kaiser said in a statement. “Our thoughts and prayers are with those affected by this terrible loss. We support our employees during this difficult time.
When the first infections were reported to staff in the hospital emergency room, a hospital spokesperson told The New York Times that an inflatable Christmas tree costume briefly worn by a member of the staff could have exacerbated the spread of the virus.
Costumes like this run via a battery operated fan that draws air into the costume and gives it shape. The costume may have scattered droplets in the air.
“Any exposure, if it had occurred, would have been completely innocent and quite accidental, as the individual had no symptoms of COVID and was only seeking to boost the morale of those around him during a very stressful time,” Kaiser San Jose Senior Vice President Irene Chavez told The Associated Press in early January.
Kaiser said on Wednesday the incident was still under investigation. “Working with our infectious disease specialists, we are continuing to investigate the outbreak to determine potential causes and using contact tracing to notify and test anyone exposed, based on CDC and public health guidelines. “Kaiser said. “Given the prevalence of COVID-19 in our communities, it is often difficult to determine the specific exposure leading to infection with COVID-19.”
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