Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Care home death toll hits 19
A TOTAL of 19 residents at a Fife care home have died after contracting Covid-19 in what is one of the worst local outbreaks so far in the pandemic.
NHS Fife confirmed the death toll on its website, following a cluster of coronavirus cases associated with Lomond Court Care Home in Glenrothes.
The message said: “Sadly 19 residents have died after contracting Covid-19.
“A total of 31 residents within the care home have now been confirmed as positive for Covid19, while an additional 40 staff and other individuals linked to the home have also been confirmed as positive for the virus.”
The health board added that the home remains closed to new admissions and efforts to curb the spread of the virus have been stepped up.
NHS Fife’s health protection team and Fife Health and Social Care Partnership continue to work alongside Fife Council’s environmental health service to support the management of the care home and help reduce further transmission of the virus.
Dr Esther Curnock, NHS Fife’s deputy director of public health, said: “We can confirm there have been further cases of Covid-19 associated with Lomond Court Care Home and our hearts go out to those who have lost loved ones at such a difficult time.
“Covid-19 is particularly infectious in older adults and care homes across Fife are working hard to try to prevent clusters of Covid-19 from developing.
“Alongside our colleagues in Fife Council and the Fife Health and Social Care Partnership, we are assisting care home managers to prevent spread and ensure that residents continue to receive a good standard of care.”
The virus has apparently ripped through Lomond Court in the past four weeks after an initial 26 residents and 22 staff were said to have tested positive for coronavirus at the start of December.
Giving that update, NHS Fife confirmed a number of residents at the home in Woodside had died, although it would not divulge the exact number due to reasons of confidentiality.
However, the health board did confirm the number was fewer than five.
Close contacts of residents and staff members working in the home are in the process of being traced, and those people are being urged to self-isolate and book a test.