A well-meaning holiday stimulus turned fatal after an official at the Kaiser Permanente hospital in San Jose died of a COVID-19 case traced to a visitor wearing an inflated Christmas tree costume.
Hospital officials confirmed the death in a statement provided to this news organization.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with those affected by this terrible loss,” said a Kaiser spokesman in the statement. “We are providing support to our employees during this difficult time.”
Hospital officials initially reported an outbreak of 44 infections traced back to the Christmas party, but this would be the first fatality associated with the informal visit on December 25. All 44, including the employee who died, worked in the emergency department that day, according to the NBC Bay Area, which also described the first victim of the outbreak as a woman who worked as a clerk in the department.
No patient is believed to have been infected, but officials said this weekend they were conducting additional tests on anyone who had been exposed. Officials confirmed or suspected of having the virus are invited to stay at home, and the medical center’s emergency room has undergone a thorough cleaning, officials said.
The costumed spreader of the virus was not identified in addition to being a co-worker at the hospital. However, his visit was not sanctioned by the hospital, officials said.
Because COVID-19 is airborne, hospital officials are investigating whether the inflatable nature of the costume and its air circulation machine may have led to a further spread of the infectious particles.