SAN JOSE – The coronavirus outbreak at the Kaiser Permanente San Jose Medical Center after a well-meaning staff member jumped through the emergency room in an air-powered tree suit on Christmas Day, according to the Santa Clara County Department of Public Health, picked up 51 cases on Tuesday. .
That is by seven higher than the 44 infected employees Kaiser originally reported over the weekend, including the death of a hospital reception clerk. It is unclear whether all the new cases are also Kaiser staff members.
The outbreak has attracted international attention and is still confusing. Not only did staff members wear masks in the ER as needed, but the first doses of vaccinations were given to some Kaiser employees about five days before the outbreak. However, the effectiveness of vaccines does not begin, according to experts, until about ten days later and even then about 50 percent.
A nurse told the Bay Area News Group this week that the staff member’s appearance in the costume “just spread joy” when she bounced through the ER area for about 10 or 15 minutes on Christmas morning. She also questioned how staff members who had not started their shifts until that afternoon and had no contact with the woman in the costume still tested positive.
Although many questions remained unanswered on Tuesday, the health department said the incident is a “strong reminder that Covid-19 can be transmitted so easily through the air and that it can even have consequences if you take a moment in the air. stitch late.
The department also noted that ‘Kaiser is responsible for compliance with all applicable public health orders and occupational safety regulations, including those of Cal / OSHA. This includes timely reporting of cases and all required follow-up. ”
Kaiser is also investigating the outbreak and said it is conducting contact detection between patients and staff.
“A staff member briefly appeared in the emergency department on December 25, wearing an air-powered costume,” Kaiser said in a weekend statement. “If it did, any exposure would have been completely innocent and accidental, as the individual had no COVID symptoms and was only trying to lift the spirits of those around them during a very stressful time.”