Tragedy at Belgian Nursing Home Visited by 'Santa Volunteers'... 75 Infected with COVID-19, 1 Dead

Nursing Home States "Social Distancing Guidelines Followed"
City Authorities Say "Epidemiological Investigation Needed to Identify Cause of Cluster Infection"

Santa at a Christmas goods store in Seoul. The above photo is not related to any specific expression in the article. / Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Juhyung] A cluster of COVID-19 infections occurred after a volunteer dressed as Santa Claus visited a nursing facility in northern Belgium.

On the 14th (local time), according to CNN and The Independent UK, a total of 75 people, including 61 residents and 14 staff members, tested positive for COVID-19 after a man dressed as Santa Claus visited a nursing home in the Flanders region earlier this month.

One of the residents receiving treatment passed away, and another is in critical condition and receiving oxygen therapy. However, most of the other confirmed cases are reported to be in good condition and show no related symptoms.

The nursing home stated, "The man (dressed as Santa Claus) stayed in shared spaces such as the lounge," and "He complied with social distancing guidelines." However, according to photos at the scene reported by The Independent, residents were not wearing masks at the time.

Meanwhile, the man who visited the nursing home dressed as Santa Claus was reported to be the son of a resident. He tested positive for COVID-19 after undergoing testing following his visit.

Regarding the incident, the Flanders city authorities said, "We had no choice but to conclude it was a management responsibility issue," but added, "A thorough epidemiological investigation will be necessary to determine whether the Santa Claus visit was the cause of the cluster infection."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.