Sixth resident dies in care home on Scottish island

A sixth resident has died from coronavirus in a care home on Skye, the home’s operator has said.

HC-One confirmed to the PA news agency on Saturday that another resident had passed away at Home Farm care home.

More than fifty residents and staff tested positive for coronavirus last week, leading to a military testing centre being set up on the island.

A spokesman for HC-One said: “Our thoughts and sympathies are with the families who have lost loved ones from coronavirus and we are doing our utmost to support them during this difficult time.

A spokesman for HC-One said: “Our thoughts and sympathies are with the families who have lost loved ones from coronavirus and we are doing our utmost to support them during this difficult time.

“Caring for our residents and supporting our colleagues is at the heart of what we do, and we are doing everything we can to make sure our residents and colleagues stay safe and well throughout these challenging times.”

The spokesman added that contingency plans are in place, as drawn up by the group’s clinical director.

To counter the effect of staff being forced to self-isolate, HC-One said support was “being drawn from our other Scottish homes, the senior regional team, and from our partners at NHS Highland”.

Care homes have been the epicentre of the coronavirus outbreak in Scotland, with a report published by National Records of Scotland on Wednesday showing 59% of deaths from the virus occurred in care homes.

The spokesman concluded: “We are proud of our colleagues and their courage in rising to the coronavirus outbreak by showing huge dedication and commitment to our residents.

“We are providing round-the-clock support for all our teams and we are also grateful to relatives for their ongoing support and understanding.”

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