More than 2000 suspected coronavirus cases in care homes

There have been more than 2000 suspected cases of Covid-19 in care homes in Scotland, according to official figures.

The “cumulative” number of care home residents suspected to have the virus is 2038, new Scottish Government statistics show.

It comes as weekly National Records of Scotland figures show 537 deaths involving Covid-19 have been in care homes – a third of the total.

A total of 212 care home residents are suspected to have contracted coronavirus in the last 24 hours.

Nearly half (46%) of all care homes – 495 in total – have lodged at least one notification for suspected Covid-19, while 308 have lodged more than one.

However, only 35% of care homes – 384 in total – have a current outbreak of suspected coronavirus, which is defined as at least one resident showing symptoms of the virus within the last 14 days.

Speaking at the Scottish Government’s daily coronavirus briefing earlier on Wednesday, the First Minister said older people in care settings should receive “the same, if not more” support as other people during the pandemic.

Nicola Sturgeon’s comments come as the National Records of Scotland (NRS) released its weekly report on Covid-19 deaths, showing 1616 people died where the virus was mentioned on their death certificate.

The report also found 33% of coronavirus deaths to date were in care settings, accounting for 537 – up from 237 (25% of the total) the week before.

Sturgeon said: “It’s not unusual for people to become sick in care homes, residents are often frail and nearing the end of their lives.

“But that does not mean that we consider any of these cases to be inevitable or that we don’t do everything we possibly can to prevent them.

“Older people in care homes require as much, if not more, support and protection as anyone else in our society and we’re working with care homes and other partners to provide that.”