'Nine more deaths' linked to COVID-19 at Edinburgh care home

As many as nine deaths linked to suspected COVID-19 cases have been reported at an Edinburgh care home.

The residents died at Jewel House in Bingham, Edinburgh, according to The Sun.

The care home, which is council-run, said it has strict measures in place to protect its residents.

As many as nine deaths linked to suspected COVID-19 cases have been recorded at Jewel House in Bingham, Edinburgh.

A spokesman for the Edinburgh Health and Social Care Partnership, said: “Our priority is always the safety of residents and staff in care homes.

“Whilst we are doing our best to keep care home life as normal as possible for residents, we are carefully following national guidance – as laid out by Health Protection Scotland – and have robust processes and procedures in place to limit the spread of the virus and to protect our residents and staff.”

A spokesperson for the Care Inspectorate said: "We are aware of the tragic deaths 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.

"All of Scotland's social care sector is working tirelessly under very difficult circumstances to care for people during the pandemic and the Care Inspectorate is doing all it can to support them."

The Scottish Government is facing growing demands to step up coronavirus testing in care homes after it emerged the number of deaths there linked to the disease has more than doubled in a week.

A third of all coronavirus-related fatalities in Scotland have been in care homes since the outbreak began, according to government officials.

Mobile units run by the British Army will begin testing key workers at care homes across the country this week to help prevent the spread of the pandemic.

Health Secretary Jeane Freeman said five of the testing pods would begin work this week, and a further eight would follow in the coming weeks.