SAN JOSE – The coronavirus outbreak at Kaiser Permanente San Jose Medical Center after a well-meaning member walked through the Emergency Department in an air-powered tree costume on Christmas day increased to 60 cases on Tuesday, according to Kaiser .
That is more than 16 of the 44 infected employees originally reported by Kaiser over the weekend, which included the death of an employee at the hospital reception. In a statement on Tuesday afternoon, Kaiser said that all 60 cases involved employees who were in the emergency room on Christmas Day. In addition, doctors have contacted 70 patients who were treated and discharged from the emergency room on holiday and Covid tests are being “made available” to them.
The outbreak has attracted international attention and continues to cause perplexity. Not only did employees wear masks in the emergency room as required, but the first doses of the vaccine were administered to some Kaiser employees about five days before the outbreak. However, the vaccines’ effectiveness does not come into play, experts say, until about 10 days later and even then it would be about 50 percent.
A nurse told the Bay Area News Group this week that the employee’s appearance in the suit was “just spreading joy” when she jumped through the emergency room for about 10 or 15 minutes on Christmas morning. She also questioned how team members who didn’t start their shifts until that afternoon and had no contact with the woman in the suit had yet tested positive.
Although many questions were left unanswered on Tuesday, the health department said the incident was “a strong reminder that Covid-19 can easily be transmitted over the air and that even letting your guard down for a moment can have consequences” .
The department also noted that “Kaiser is responsible for complying with all applicable public health orders and work safety regulations, including those with Cal / OSHA. This includes timely notification of cases and all necessary follow-up. “
Kaiser is also investigating the outbreak to “determine the potential causes”. He said: “Given the prevalence of COVID-19 in our communities, it is often difficult to identify the specific exposure that leads to COVID-19 infection”. In a statement over the weekend, Kaiser suggested that the outbreak may have been related to the air-propelled suit worn by a well-meaning team member.
The hospital said it is adding weekly tests to the team and is adhering to county guidelines for testing during the pandemic. In his statement on Tuesday, Kaiser said that in addition to HEPA filtration from his ventilation systems, the Emergency Department underwent thorough cleaning and intensive disinfection.
“A staff member appeared briefly in the emergency department on December 25 wearing an air-powered costume,” said Kaiser in a statement over the weekend. “Any exposure, had it occurred, would have been completely innocent and quite accidental, since the individual had no symptoms of COVID and just sought to lift the spirits of those around him during a very stressful period.”