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The death toll continues to rise in the nursing home in Mol, a city 50 km from Antwerp, Belgium. The first infections date back to two weeks ago, shortly after the visit of an entertainer disguised as Saint Nicholas, the Santa Claus of the northern European countries, who unconsciously brought the virus to the nursing home. To date, 18 people have lost their lives, while the number of infected rises to 121 positive among the elderly and 36 infected among health and care personnel.
A super diffuser behind the slaughter
Although the laboratory investigation is still ongoing, local newspapers They point a finger at the Christmas party organized by the management of the nursing home on the occasion of Sinterklaas, on the night of December 5-6 when Saint Nicholas brings gifts. The virologist Marc van ranst states that the patients were infected from the same source, probably a so-called superspreader coronavirus, which is a very contagious subject and with a much greater capacity to infect other individuals than in normal positives. Months ago the Italian virologist Walter Ricciardi had warned about its danger. “When you are with one of these in a closed environment, at a short distance, even more without a mask, unfortunately the viral load is so strong that contagion is almost inevitable,” said the consultant to the Ministry of Health.
Party
The outbreak came to light two weeks ago. A few days earlier, an entertainer disguised as Saint Nicholas had visited the residents of the nursing home unconscious, at the time of the party, to test positive for the coronavirus. Sources from the nursing home confirm the contagion by the positive Santa Claus, even though the photographs taken during the event show compliance with the obligation to wear the mask inside the structure.
The investigations
“Several labs are trying to determine the source of the infections, but I have not received the results yet,” he explained. Wim caeyers, mayor of the city. “At the moment everything is still very uncertain,” added the mayor.
