Inflatable Costume May Have Caused 44 Infections, 1 Death In California Emergency Department

NEW YORK (VINnews) — A hospital worker put on an inflatable, air-powered costume to cheer people up at a California emergency department on Christmas Day.

But now, dozens of hospital staff members have tested positive for the coronavirus, and the hospital thinks that the costume may be to blame.

Hospital officials said 44 staff members tested positive between Dec. 27 and Jan. 3 in the emergency department at Kaiser Permanente San Jose Medical Center. One emergency department worker who had a shift on Christmas died from COVID-19 complications.

This is the air powered costume an employee wore in the Emergency Dept.of Kaiser Permanente San Jose Medical Center Xmas day to spread cheer. Turns out employee unknowingly had covid , now 43 employees have covid .Kaiser investigating if costume blower helped spread the virus. pic.twitter.com/DLLi8z5e2T

— Marianne Favro (@mariannefavro) January 3, 2021

NBC Bay Area news reporter Marianne Favro shared this Twitter image of a red-nosed smiling Christmas tree strung with red garlands and yellow balls and a star on top.

Costumes such as this work via a battery-operated fan that pulls air into the suit and gives it shape. Kaiser is investigating whether the costume may have contributed to the outbreak by spreading droplets through the air, which could then travel to people’s eyes, nose or mouth and cause more infection.

The World Health Organization has discouraged the use of indoor fans when people outside of a single household are present. “Air blowing from an infected person directly at another in closed spaces may increase the transmission of the virus from one person to another,” the organization states.

“Any exposure, if it occurred, would have been completely innocent, and quite accidental, as the individual had no COVID symptoms and only sought to lift the spirits of those around them during what is a very stressful time,” said Kaiser San Jose Senior Vice President Irene Chavez. She added that the hospital is reinforcing safety guidelines, include enforcing mask-wearing and physical distancing and prohibiting gathering or sharing of food and drinks. The emergency department is open and is undergoing a deep cleaning.

Chavez concluded that “this should serve as a very real reminder that the virus is widespread and often without symptoms, and we must all be vigilant.”