Coronavirus in Scotland: Edinburgh care home confirms two dead after showing Covid-19 symptoms

Two residents died at Northcare Manor after showing Covid-19 symptoms

TWO residents of a Capital care home have died after showing coronavirus symptoms, the Evening News can reveal.

The two women at Northcare Manor in Chesser, one aged in her 90s the other in her 80s, died on Monday morning.

A source told the Evening News staff are afraid to go into work but bosses praised workers and said measures are in place to prevent the virus from spreading.

“The staff are scared,” said the source. “A lot of them have got kids and are petrified of taking it home to their families.”

A further six residents at the home are showing symptoms but bosses said two more deaths on Thursday were unconnected to the virus.

The home has now implemented lockdown protocols with residents staying in their rooms and visitors told to stay away..

Admissions to the home from hospitals are continuing with bosses stressing Public Health Scotland guidelines are being followed.

A spokesman for the home said bosses have “over recruited” staff to prepare for any absences through self-isolation.

The source said staff have been left with too little personal protective equipment with masks and hand sanitiser but arms, legs and eyes left exposed.

But the spokesman said: “We have plenty of PPE equipment to distribute to all staff. We do not rely on the government supplies although they have also supported us when required.”

All staff have been told to follow government guidelines relating to self isolation and any symptomatic family members they may share a household with, he added.

Two workers who refused to go in have been effectively fired as bosses look to find replacements.

“We have had two staff members who do not want to return to work under the current circumstances,” said the spokesman.

“We have informed them that we unfortunately cannot hold their post open if they are symptom free as we need our full compliment of staff to care for the clients who reside in the home.”

The Evening News reported yesterday calls for the Army to make sure vital PPE is supplied to workers with 13 deaths in three Lothian care homes.

Tragedy hit Tranent Care Home in East Lothian where nine residents died in the space of ten days.

And two residents died in Letham Park Care Home where other residents are also understood to be symptomatic

The Northcare spokesman added: “All 72 residents just now are self-isolating in the comfort of their own suites for 14 days - to help stop the virus spreading any further.

“Staff at the home have pulled together fantastically and are going from strength to strength to deal with this.”