BRUSSELS – Authorities in Belgium say a 27th old man died in an outbreak at a health facility at a St. Nick party that spread last month, but they hope the situation is now under control.
The Hemelrijck home in the town of Mol, in northern Belgium, had organized a visit on December 4 of a troupe playing the beloved saint who usually spreads joy and gifts. But the city and the families of some of the deceased complained that the nursing home should never have organized the party when restrictive measures on events were in place across the country to contain the pandemic.
The municipality of Mol said that “the event was not coordinated with the crisis cell” and if they had heard about it, they would have stopped it.
The municipality said on New Year’s Eve that a 27th person had died.
At Hemelrijck nursing home, no one was available for comment on Friday. At the last count, the house had 88 infections among residents and 42 among employees.
Lily Lenaerts, whose sister Angele, 85, was the first to die after the outbreak, is upset about how the nursing home is treating family members.
“I have not yet received a condolence card (from the nursing home) and I have been visiting for four years,” she told Het Laatste Nieuws.
Saint Nicholas is the traditional December 6th for giving gifts and is much more important for children in Belgium than Santa Claus on December 25th, which is mainly a family gathering.
Initially, one of the actors in the St. Nick group was considered the source of the outbreak, but subsequent research could not be entirely conclusive.
The eminent Belgium virologist, Marc Van Ranst, said that “it could not be said with 100 percent certainty that he introduced him to the asylum”. He added that “the man was a volunteer at the asylum and, theoretically, could have been infected by a resident or a member of the team”.
The city said the outbreak was finally stabilizing.
“The health status of the residents has improved a lot,” the city said in a statement.
Belgium, a nation of 11.5 million, has been severely hit by the pandemic, with 19,528 virus-confirmed deaths so far, many of them in nursing homes.
– By RAF CASERT, Associated Press
• • •
HOW THE CORONAVIRUS IS SPREADING IN FLORIDA: Find the latest numbers for your county, city or zip code.
VACCINES Questions and Answers: Do you have questions about the coronavirus vaccine? We have answers, Florida.
MASKS: Read the latest guidelines, tips for comfort and long-term use
GET DAYSTARTER MORNING UPDATE: Sign up to receive the most up-to-date information.
THE CORONAVIRUS SCRAPBOOK: We collect your stories, photos, music, recipes, diaries and more to show what life has been like during the pandemic.
A TRIBUTE TO THE FLORIDIANS TAKEN BY THE CORONAVIRUS: They were parents and retirees, police and doctors, imperfect, but deeply loved.
HAVE A TIP ?: Send us confidential news tips
We are working hard to bring you the latest coronavirus news in Florida. This effort requires a lot of resources to gather and update. If you haven’t signed up yet, consider purchasing a print or digital subscription.