COVID-19 outbreak infects 43 staff at Kaiser Permanente San Jose medical center last week

SAN JOSE, California – The Kaiser Permanente San Jose Medical Center reports that 43 staff members tested positive for COVID-19 this week, from Sunday December 27 to yesterday.

Additionally, the hospital says a holiday-inspired costume that was air-powered and worn by a staff member who was briefly in the emergency room on Christmas Day may have played a role in all 43 infections.

The hospital is working on contact tracing alongside notifications for patients and other staff who may have been exposed.

All emergency department personnel and doctors are being tested for COVID-19.

In a statement to KTVU, Kaiser San Jose senior vice president and regional manager Irene Chavez said the staff member who appeared at the emergency room was only trying to spread holiday cheer.

“Any exposure, if it did occur, would have been completely innocent and completely 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. . “

Chavez went on to say, “If anything, this should serve as a very real reminder that the virus is widespread, and often without symptoms, and we all need to be vigilant.”

The hospital is undergoing a thorough cleaning, in addition to normal cleaning protocols amid the pandemic.

All healthcare workers in Kaiser will be offered weekly testing for COVID-19 and expedited testing for anyone with symptoms or exposure to someone with COVID-19.

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