Instead of spreading the joy of Christmas, an inflatable holiday dress may have helped spread COVID-19 to dozens of officials at a California hospital, according to a report.
Forty-three employees at Kaiser Permanent Medical Center in San Jose contracted the virus between December 27 and New Year’s Day, and officials say the outbreak could be linked to an employee who entered the facility. with an “air-powered costume” on Christmas Day, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.
The hospital is investigating the possibility of the disguise fan spreading airborne breaths exhaled by a person infected with the virus throughout the emergency department.
“Any exposure if it had occurred would have been completely innocent and quite accidental, as the individual had no symptoms of COVID and only intended to lift the spirits of those around him during a very stressful time,” said Irene Chávez, vice president. senior and center area manager told the newspaper.
“In any case, this should serve to really remind us that the virus is widespread and often shows no symptoms, and that we all need to be vigilant,” Chávez added.
Doctors, nurses, technicians and assistants who tested positive for COVID-19 over the past week will be isolated as officials keep track of contacts and staff members will thoroughly clean up the hospital’s emergency department, as inform officials.
Blowing suits are now “obviously” banned in the health facility, Chávez said.
Some 40,000 Kaiser Permanente health workers in California have already been inoculated against the deadly virus, but it is unclear whether any of the infected workers were among those vaccinated, according to the report.
Nor is it clear exactly what kind of inflatable costume the staff wore.