'Significant' number of residents and staff at care home contract coronavirus prompting response from NHS Highland and Highland Council
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The number of residents and staff to have contracted coronavirus at a north care home has been described as significant.
A joint statement this afternoon by NHS Highland and Highland Council revealed an outrbreak of Covid-19 at Home Farm independent care home in Portree.
Both authorities are working closely together to support the care home.
NHS Highland’s public health team are working with health and social care colleagues, as well as local community nursing teams and Portree GPs to prevent any further spread of Covid-19 within the care home and to the wider community.
Dr Ken Oates, director of public health at NHS Highland, said: “There is no evidence at this stage that Covid-19 infection has spread further into the community. The assessment centre in Portree and local GPs are not reporting an increase of cases.
"The measures that have been put in place will support us in ensuring, as best as we can, that the outbreak is as contained as possible.
“It is really important at this time that the local community continue to adhere to the government’s social-distancing guidance and do not put vulnerable residents in the area, or themselves, at risk. The key messages are to stay at home and only leave the house for essential purposes.
"If you, or someone you live with, develops symptoms then adhere to the national advice and stay at home for seven days. You can contact 111 if you are concerned about your condition or your symptoms worsen. You will be assessed and if required you will be referred to be seen locally and tested at the Portree Covid Assessment Centre.
"In addition to that facility, a mobile testing unit is arriving in Broadford on Monday to further enhance local testing capacity. This can be redeployed to other parts of the island as demand necessitates.
“We will continue to support Home Farm until this outbreak is over and all those affected are no longer infectious.”
As part of this work the health protection team are carrying out enhanced monitoring of those affected.
Staff who has tested positive have been asked to self-isolate for seven days and people in their households have been asked to self-isolate for 14 days.
Home Farm has put in extra staff and an NHS Highland support team has also been made available to assist the owner to provide adequate levels of care.
Council chief executive Donna Manson said: “We are working closely with NHS Highland and other partners and local elected members in responding to this outbreak and seeking to delay the spread within the wider community of Skye.
“This is bound to be a very worrying time for residents, staff and their families and for the local community.
"The council will continue to work closely with NHS Highland and other agencies to do everything possible to mitigate the risks to all concerned. Environmental health will be providing additional support and advice locally and extra measures have been taken to protect those working from the local humanitarian assistance hub in Portree. If you need help with getting food or accessing assistance, you can phone our dedicated helpline 0300 303 1362.
“Meanwhile, everyone can do their part by staying at home and following the public health guidance to delay the spread of coronavirus and protect essential services and NHS resources.”
