15 deaths at care home in Covid outbreak
A coronavirus outbreak has led to 15 deaths in three weeks at a Llangollen care home.
Heath bosses confirmed today that 56 residents had been hit by Covid-19, with 33 staff also testing positive.
The cause of the outbreak at Llangollen Fechan Care Home is now being investigated with by Public Health Wales, the local NHS health board and Denbighshire Council.
Movement of staff and residents is now being restricted.
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In a statement issued today, the co-chair of the incident management team, Nicola Stubbins, said: “We have been working together to investigate a number of cases of Coronavirus in staff and residents at Llangollen Fechan Care Home in Llangollen.
“Over the last three weeks there have sadly been 56 positive cases and 15 deaths with coronavirus amongst residents. In addition 33 staff members have been tested positive for the virus over the same period.
“We would like to assure all concerned that control measures have been put in place working jointly with the care home, including limiting the movement of staff and residents to reduce transmission.
"Our thoughts and condolences are with all affected and we remain committed to working together to address the situation."
'Deeply worrying'
Mario Kreft MBE, the chair of Care Forum Wales, said: “We would like to extend our condolences to the families of those who have passed away.
“It is a deeply worrying time for everybody concerned and our thoughts are with the residents and staff who have also been affected by the virus.
“This tragic case is a stark and cruel reminder how virulent and dangerous the Covid-19 is."
He said Care Forum Wales had recently launched a renewed campaign to shield social care and save lives this winter.
“The key message is how vulnerable the residents of care homes are and how everyone has to work to ensure that these people are protected.
“There are more than 20,000 care home beds Wales compared to 12,000 beds in our hospitals so social care plays an absolutely vital role in supporting the NHS, now more so than ever."
“Right at the outset of the pandemic, Care Forum Wales was ahead of the curve in calling for an efficient and effective testing regime and, while things have improved, we are not there yet.
“If we don’t protect the vulnerable people for whom we provide care and our staff many more people will die as a result. We cannot and must not let that happen.”
