Jersey care homes see 400% rise in coronavirus cases

Care home residents are among people to benefit from Jersey's initial batch of Covid-19 vaccine

Care homes in Jersey have seen coronavirus increase by nearly 400% since Thursday, latest figures from the government have said.

There are 19 cases in homes, up by 15, and among 667 known active cases of the virus in the island.

Some 82 more people have been confirmed as being infected within 24 hours.

Twenty-four people were in hospital with Covid-19, the figures said, and tests results were pending in 461 cases.

'A step forward'

Meanwhile, nearly all residents in one care home had signed up to get the coronavirus vaccine, due to be given out from Monday, staff said.

An initial batch of just under 1,000 doses was to be given to care home residents as a first priority, the government said last week.

The Jersey Cheshire Home said it had started six weeks of shielding of highly vulnerable residents to make sure the jabs could be rolled out.

Home manager David Lord said that, although it meant fewer visits from friends and family over Christmas, it was "a wonderful step forward".

The home has 28 rooms for physically disabled adults.

The island is in the middle of a "hospitality circuit breaker" to try to control infections.

Pubs, bars and restaurants in Jersey are closed until 4 January in order to tackle recent surges in cases.

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