Dozens of residents of a Belgian retirement home have reportedly died of the coronavirus since a volunteer Santa visiting the facility tested positive for the disease.
Sinterklaas visited the Hemelrijck home in Mol on Dec. 5 at an event hosted by the facility’s management, and days later many residents began to show COVID-19 symptoms, The Guardian reported.
In addition to 26 fatalities, 85 more residents and 40 staff have tested positive for the virus, the report said.
The municipality of Mols has attacked the event after photos appeared showing that residents did not have masks.
“We deeply regret that after looking at several photos, we have to conclude that this is much more than an error,” Mols Municipality said in a statement to the Guardian.
“Rather, it is a completely irresponsible event. We would never have approved this ”, the municipality said.
The cause of the outbreak is not certain and no formal investigation has been initiated, the report said.