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At least 26 residents of a Belgian retirement dwelling have died since a go to by a volunteer dressed as Santa Claus who has since examined optimistic for COVID-19. A Flemish well being official instructed AFP on Thursday it’s not but sure that it was the customer who introduced the coronavirus to the Hemelrijck dwelling in Mol on December 5.
But 26 residents have died because the go to, and 85 extra have examined optimistic for the coronavirus, together with 40 workers.
The outbreak was detected just a few days after the go to, and outstanding virologist Marc Van Ranst reported on Twitter that a lot of the infections got here from the identical supply.
The white-bearded, red-robed determine of Sinterklaas, the equal of the English-speaking world’s Santa Claus, brings presents to Belgians each December 6.
This yr’s festivities, nonetheless, have been clouded by the coronavirus pandemic, which has hit Belgium notably laborious, particularly at its retirement houses.
No inquiry has been launched within the absence of a proper grievance, regional well being spokesman Joris Moonens stated, and there’s no suggestion the volunteer knew he was contaminated.
But a disaster supervisor has been appointed for Hemelrijck — which housed 169 folks earlier than the COVID outbreak — to assist workers, residents and family cope “in this difficult period”.
Belgium has one of many highest per capita coronavirus demise tolls on the earth and greater than half of the deceased — 11,066 folks — had been retirement dwelling residents.
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