Residents and staff retested for Covid-19 at care home on Skye
All residents and staff at a Skye care home are being checked again for coronavirus after an employee retested positive for the disease.
It is understood the employee at Home Farm Care Home in Portree originally contracted Covid-19 in the early stages of the outbreak and tested negative twice before re-entering the home to return to work.
They have now tested positive again.
NHS Highland said it is in the process of retesting all residents and staff of the home as aprecautionandtheemployee has been advised to remain at home in isolation.
Ian Blackford, MP for Ross, Skye and Lochaber, has called for the results to be known before a court hearing today concerning the home, where ten residents have died amid the coronavirus outbreak.
Social Care and Social Work Improvement Scotland is currently pursuing the legal action against HC-ONE, operators of the Home Farm care home, which could have its registration suspended.
Mr Blackford tweeted yesterday: “It is important to stress that when someone does test positive having previously had Covid-19 that they may not necessarily be infectious.
“Clearly however we cannot take any risks. I have been in touch with NHS Highland this morning and I have asked that as a precaution all staff and residents at Home Farm are tested today and the results must be known ahead of the court hearing tomorrow.”
NHS Highland confirmed a member of staff at Home
Farm Care Home in Portree has retested positive for Covid-19 but said there are no other cases of confirmed infection in the local community or elsewhere on Skye.
It said: “Evidence is emerging internationally about Covid-19 and it is now recognised that some people have prolonged positive swab results and others can have intermittent negative and positive results over many weeks.
“An ongoing positive result does not therefore mean they are still infectious or that they pose a risk to others. This is the most likely scenario here.
“Nonetheless, and as a precaution, this person has been advised to remain at home and in isolation.”
The health board added: “Their close contacts are being followed up by the contact tracing process and will be given the standard advice regarding isolation and effective hygiene.
“In addition, and as a further precaution, NHS Highland is in the process of retesting all staff and residents of the care home.
“We will inform all residents, staff and relatives of the results as soon as they are available.”