THE majority of residents at a care home in Skye have tested positive for coronavirus.
NHS Highland revealed 28 of the 34 residents have tested positive for Covid-19 as well as 26 of the 52 staff at Home Farm care home.
MP for Skye, Ian Blackford, said: "Testing and contact tracing will be important as we all seek to see the control and eradication of this outbreak on Skye and all of us on the island have our part to play in this."
The sad news is that 28 of the 34 residents have tested positive for Covid-19 as have 26 of the 52 staff. My thoughts are with all of those who are infected and I know the entire community of Skye will want to rally round and offer support to all of those affected.
— Ian Blackford (@Ianblackford_MP) May 3, 2020
READ MORE: Coronavirus: 'Substantial testing' underway as virus reaches Skye
Last week Skye Community Response said cases had been expected, and they included an "outbreak" at an independent care home in Portree and that "substantial testing" was underway to determine the true extent of the virus.
A spokesman for the home said: “Caring for our residents and supporting our colleagues is at the heart of what we do, and we are doing everything we can to make sure our residents and colleagues stay safe and well throughout these challenging times.
“We have a comprehensive coronavirus contingency plan in place, which was created by our clinical director and reflects the latest Government guidance.
“We are working closely with our local health and care partners and we have all the medical equipment, PPE (personal protective equipment) and supplies we need to protect residents and colleagues.
“We are proud of our colleagues and how they have risen to the challenge of the coronavirus outbreak by showing huge dedication and commitment to our residents.
“We are providing round-the-clock support for all our teams, and we are also grateful to relatives for their ongoing support and understanding.”
Kate Forbes MSP said: “This will be a worrying time for residents, staff and the wider community. Whilst our public health agencies act quickly to protect and save lives, we must continue to follow the guidance.
“Now more than ever we have a responsibility to make sure we are taking all appropriate measures to stop the spread of this virus.
“We must all adhere to the public health advice: stay at home, only go outside for essential food, health and work reasons, stay two metres away from other people, wash your hands regularly, and wash your hands as soon as you get home.
“Having such an outbreak as we have on Skye is shocking and worrying. By supporting the NHS and our care staff, by protecting all our frontline workers, and by taking all necessary hygiene steps, we can contain the spread of this virus and do our bit to save lives - not just on Skye but in every community.”
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