COVID-INFECTED SANTA BLAMED FOR DEATH OF 18 PERSONS

COVID-INFECTED SANTA BLAMED FOR DEATH OF 18 PERSONS

COVID-INFECTED SANTA BLAMED FOR DEATH OF 18 PERSONS

18 residents of the Hemelrijck care home have died in the Belgian city of Mole. This happened within a month after the event that took place in care home, when an actor dressed as Santa Claus visited the patients. Three days later, "Santa" felt unwell and underwent tests which confirmed he was infected with coronavirus.



121 of the 150 residents of Hemelrijck fell ill, as well as 36 members of the staff caring for the elderly. At the same time, there is no reliable data that it was Santa who infected the inhabitants. Experts try to understand the causes of infection by conducting laboratory tests.

Experts doubt that one artist could have led to such circumstances.

In particular, virologist Mark van Ranst is inclined to believe that the spread of the infection took place due to poor ventilation in the premises of the care home, but not because of the actor, whose photographs appeared a few weeks ago and became the image of the "super-distributor" of the disease.

Santa is full of remorse, according to the Belgian media. The festive event turned into a black day and subsequent information about the animator's positive test for COVID-19 prompted local health officials to begin widespread testing of residents of the social care institution. As a result, it turned out that during the event, the requirements to wear masks were violated (many guests met Santa without them), as well as the rules to maintain social distance. Santa and his Black Pete assistants came too close to the patients, despite the fact that they were wearing masks.

Initially, the management of the care home insisted that all the requirements were fulfilled.

However, after examining the photographs taken by the residents and their family members, it turned out that the rules were violated. The mayor of the city, Wim Kayers, called this behavior of the management completely irresponsible.

According to the mayor, the city administration is now facing hard days aimed at bringing the virus back under control. Belgium has one of the highest mortality rates from coronavirus in Europe, emphasize the experts.


28.12.2020