A well-intentioned holiday pick-up turned fatal after a Kaiser Permanente hospital employee in San Jose died of a case of COVID-19, traced back to a visitor in a bloated Christmas tree costume.
Hospital officials confirmed the death in a statement to this news organization.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with those affected by this terrible loss,” a Kaiser spokesman said in the statement. “We support our employees in these difficult times.”
Hospital officials initially reported an outbreak of 44 infections dating back to the Christmas rally, but this would be the first fatality in connection with the December 25 informal visit. All 44, including the employee who died, worked in the emergency department that day, according to NBC Bay Area, which also described the first victim of the outbreak as a woman who worked as a registry clerk in the department.
Not a single patient is believed to be infected, but officials said this weekend that they performed additional tests on everyone exposed. Employees confirmed or suspected of having the virus are being asked to stay at home, and the medical center’s emergency department has undergone a thorough cleanup, officials said.
The disguised spreader of the virus was not identified other than being a hospital colleague. However, their visit was not approved by the hospital, officials said.
Since COVID-19 can be airborne, hospital officials are investigating whether the inflatable nature of the costume and air circulation machine may have increased the spread of the infectious particles.