At least 26 residents of a Belgian nursing home have died since a visit by a volunteer dressed as a Santa Claus who has since tested positive COVID-19. A Flemish health official told AFP on Thursday that it was not yet certain that it was the visitor who brought the coronavirus to the Hemelrijck house in Mol on December 5.
But 26 residents have died since the visit, and 85 more have been tested positive for the coronavirus, along with 40 staff members.
The outbreak was detected a few days after the visit, and leading virologist Marc Van Ranst reported on Twitter that most infections come from the same source.
The white beard, red robe of Santa Claus, the equivalent of the English – speaking world’s Santa Claus, brings presents to Belgians every 6 December.
Photo by ERIC LALMAND / BELGA / AFP via Getty Images
However, this year’s festivities have been clouded by the coronavirus pandemic, which has hit Belgium hard, especially in its old age homes.
No judicial inquiry has been launched, said regional health spokesman Joris Moonens. The volunteer does not know he is infected.
But a crisis manager has been appointed for Hemelrijck – which houses 169 people before the COVID outbreak – to help staff, residents and family members cope ‘in this difficult time’.
Belgium has one of the highest death rates per capita in the world, and more than half of the dead – 11,066 people – were retired residents.