Health board confirms Fife care home deaths after 67 residents and staff tested positive for Covid-19
A number of residents have died amid a Covid-19 cluster at a care home, the local health board has said.
NHS Fife said that 35 residents and 32 staff at Canmore Lodge Care Home in Dunfermline have tested positive for the virus.
The health board could not confirm the number of deaths for confidentiality reasons but said it was less than five.
Dr Esther Curnock, NHS Fife deputy director of public health, said: “We’re saddened by the deaths at Canmore Lodge Care Home and our thoughts are very much with their families’ and loved ones at this really difficult time.
“We are working alongside our colleagues in the Fife Health and Social Care Partnership and Fife Council’s Environmental Health Service to support the managers of the care home to try and prevent further transmission of the virus, and ensure that the standard of care for all residents is maintained.”
A spokesman for Barchester Healthcare, which runs the home (pictured), said: “We are doing everything possible to contain this outbreak and we are devastated that the virulent disease that is Covid-19 has gotten into the home.
“The team at the home has always followed excellent infection control protocols, evidenced by the fact that they had zero Covid cases in the first wave, but as we know Covid is so difficult to contain and testing is not 100% accurate.
“We have been restricting visiting through the use of our Covid secure visiting suites which have been widely praised, but obviously now we are closed to visiting for the time being.
“Fife NHS infection control have recently visited and have been comfortable that all protocols have been followed.
“Our team has been working so hard and this has been recognised by the local authority, Care Inspectorate, local infection control and public health teams. Our thoughts are with our residents, their families and friends, and we are forever thankful for their kind wishes.”
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