Santa visits … then Covid-19 kills 26 in Belgian retirement home

Outbreak detected days after Santa's visit and prominent virologist says most infections came from same source

A man rides a bicycle next to the Hemelrijck home in Mol, Belgium. AFP

At least 26 residents of a Belgian retirement home have died since a visit by a volunteer dressed as Santa Claus, who has since tested positive for Covid-19.

Flemish health officials do not know if Santa’s visit was the cause of the outbreak or if he was just a coincidental visitor.

But the 26 residents at the Hemelrijck home in Mol have died since the December 5 visit, and 85 more have tested positive for the coronavirus, along with 40 staff.

Belgium has one of the highest per capita coronavirus death tolls in the world and more than half of the deceased, 11,066 people, were retirement home residents.

The Hemelrijck outbreak was detected a few days after the visit, and prominent virologist Marc Van Ranst said on Twitter that most of the infections came from the same source.

No inquiry has been launched in the absence of a formal complaint, regional health spokesman Joris Moonens said, and there is no suggestion that the volunteer knew he was infected.

But a crisis manager has been appointed for Hemelrijck – which housed 169 people before the Covid outbreak – to help staff, residents and relatives cope "in this difficult period".

In Belgian tradition, the white-bearded, red-robed figure of Sinterklaas brings gifts on December 6.