A coronavirus outbreak at the Kaiser Permanente San Jose Emergency Department affected 43 staff in the past week, hospital officials said. Investigators are trying to determine whether the sudden spread was caused by an employee wearing an inflatable Christmas costume in the emergency department on Dec. 25, Kaiser vice president Irene Chavez said.
In a statement to CBS San Francisco, Chavez said the outbreak began on Dec. 27.
“We determined that 43 employees of the Kaiser Permanente San Jose Emergency Department tested positive for COVID-19 between December 27 and January 1,” Chavez said. “We will ensure that every affected staff member receives the care and support they need. Using our infection prevention protocols, we investigate the outbreak and use contact tracking to personally notify and inform staff or patients exposed during this time. testing based on CDC and public health guidelines. “
“We are also rapidly testing all emergency room staff and physicians for COVID-19,” she continued. “Employees confirmed or suspected of having COVID-19 due to symptoms do not come to work.”
The hospital’s emergency department has also been thoroughly cleaned and the Medical Center remains open.
Officials said one of the infected staffers “appeared briefly at the emergency department on December 25 in an air-powered suit.”
“Any exposure, if it had taken place, would have been completely harmless and quite accidental, as the person had no COVID symptoms and was merely trying to cheer up those around them during a very stressful time,” said the hospital in the hospital. statement.
The outbreak comes as Santa Clara County hospitals are pushed to the brink by an increase in COVID-19 cases. On Saturday, county health officials reported there were 1,784 new positive cases with 37 deaths and 108 hospitalizations. The county has had a 7-day moving average of nearly 1,000 positive test results per day.
As of Saturday, only 10 ICU beds were available in the county of over 2 million residents.