Coronavirus: Several deaths at Drumchapel care home

Almond Court Care Home in DrumchapelHolmes Care Group

Almond Court Care Home in Drumchapel where five residents are reported to have died

Several elderly residents have died with coronavirus at another Scottish care home.

The Care Inspectorate confirmed there had been a number of deaths at Almond Court in Drumchapel, Glasgow.

According to the Scottish Sun, a total of five residents have died after contracting coronavirus, and one staff member is currently ill.

The 42-bed care home, owned by the Holmes Care Group, specialises in dementia care and frail elderly care.

A spokeswoman for the Care Inspectorate said: "We are aware of the tragic death of residents at this care home as a result of suspected cases of Covid-19.

"Our thoughts are with the loved ones of those affected as well as the staff and wider community of the home.

"We have been notified of the circumstances and we are in contact with the care service and the local health and social care partnership during this difficult time."

Owners Holmes Care said they were doing everything they could to keep staff and residents safe.

A spokesman said: "With deep sadness we can confirm that some of our residents have passed in recent weeks with suspected Covid-19.

"We will not be commenting on numbers of suspected cases or deaths. Of course we are communicating directly with the loved ones of anyone affected, and will continue to do so, along with the Care Inspectorate, Health Protection Scotland, the NHS service supporting the home and the local authority.

"We have robust infection control procedures in place throughout our home, including appropriate distancing and isolation from suspected cases, as well as clear processes for using PPE around the home and thorough hygiene and cleanliness regimes.

"These measures have been approved by the relevant authorities, and we have a good supply of PPE."

Almond Court is the fourth care home to report multiple Covid-19 deaths in the last month.

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Thirteen residents with coronavirus symptoms at Burlington Court Care Home in Glasgow died in one week

Thirteen residents at Burlington Court Care Home in Glasgow's Cranhill died in one week following a suspected outbreak of coronavirus.

Eight residents of Castle View Care Home in Dumbarton died after showing symptoms of the virus.

And Tranent Care Home in East Lothian became the third nursing home in Scotland to suffer a surge in deaths following lockdown measures.

Health Secretary Jeane Freeman said 406 care homes in Scotland had at least one confirmed or suspected case of coronavirus, representing 37% of the country's care homes.

Nicola Sturgeon said in her Monday briefing that figures due out later in the week would detail where people had died including whether it was in a hospital, a care home or at home.

Earlier the owner of a Scottish chain of care homes told BBC Scotland he believed nearly two thirds of his homes have coronavirus cases.

'Postcode lottery'

Robert Kilgour, who runs Renaissance Care, has previously warned the sector is facing a "tsunami of deaths" from the virus.

He told Good Morning Scotland the official figure for deaths in Scotland did not reflect the actual number of suspected care home deaths.

He estimated there would have been a further 200-300 deaths due to the virus not included in the total.

He also described the situation regarding testing as a "postcode lottery".

He said: "As far as testing of care home residents goes, it doesn't seem to be government policy.

"I would ask the question why are these vulnerable elderly being treated as second class citizens and not being given access to testing when they have symptoms?

"We are discouraged from asking for them to be hospitalised and the tragic sad death figures are for hospital deaths, not for care home deaths or deaths at home."

At the weekend, trade body Scottish Care said the impact of the virus on residents alongside staff absence levels of up to 30% had put homes under huge strain.

Scottish Care's members provide the vast majority of Scotland's 36,000 care home beds, with chief executive Dr Donald Macaskill saying the virus had left the sector facing an "unprecedented challenge on every front".

Information gathered by Scottish Care from its members suggests that about half of care homes in Scotland have at least one suspected case of coronavirus.

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