More than 40% of coronavirus deaths in Grampian have been in care homes, new figures have revealed.
A third of the 1,616 coronavirus cases recorded in Scotland as of Sunday up to April 19 related to care homes, new figures released by the National Records of Scotland show, with 537 people dying in this setting.
Grampian has the second-highest proportion of deaths in care homes, behind only Lothian, with 39 deaths (43%) occurring in care homes, out of a total of 90 recorded deaths.
A total of 38 deaths (42%) in Grampian were in hospital and 13 in home or non-institutional settings.
Meanwhile, a total of 14% of deaths were recorded in care homes in Highland, with seven people across the region dying in care homes out of 50 registered deaths.
In Shetland, five deaths out of six were in care homes and one of two deaths in Orkney occurred in these settings.
Across Scotland, a total of 537 deaths (33%) registered up to April 19 related to deaths in care homes, while 910 (56%) were in hospitals and 168 (10%) were at home or non-institutional settings.
This has jumped from the previous reporting period up to April 12 when 237 (25%) were in care homes.
Scottish Conservative north-east MSP Tom Mason said every death in Grampian is “one too many and a complete tragedy”.
He added: “The situation in areas such as care homes is extremely concerning which is why it’s vital the correct support is given to both residents and staff who are working there.
“These figures also illustrate the need for mobile testing vans to be brought to key workers who are having to work long shifts in trying to keep everyone safe.
“These are very challenging times but together we will get through this.
“It’s vital people continue to stay at home, protect the NHS, and save lives.”
The situation in areas such as care homes is extremely concerning which is why it’s vital the correct support is given to both residents and staff who are working there.
Tom Mason, North-east MSP
Speaking during her daily briefing on Wednesday, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said the figures were “higher than anyone would like to think about”, adding that older people in care homes are “particularly vulnerable” to the virus.
She revealed the Scottish Government is recruiting students who have worked in the social care sector to work in care homes as soon as possible and NHS PPE is being delivered to care homes this week, including aprons, fluid resistant surgical masks and gloves.
A total of 384 care homes across Scotland have a current outbreak, according to the latest figures released on Wednesday.
The First Minister said: “We must remember, difficult though this is, 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 we consider any of these cases to be inevitable or 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 than anyone else in our society and we’re working with the care sector and partners to provide that.”Speaking in the Scottish Parliament yesterday, Health Secretary Jeane Freeman said Covid-19 patients discharged from hospital to a care home should have given two negative tests before discharge.
In addition the Scottish Government now expects other new admissions to care homes to be tested and isolated for 14 days in addition to the clear social distancing measures set out.
The NRS figures include all cases where Covid-19 is mentioned in a person’s death certificate and are distinct from the daily figures produced by Health Protection Scotland (HPS), which have so far included only individuals who have died within 28 days of testing positive for the virus.
This method recorded 1,616 deaths in Scotland linked to Covid-19 as of April 19, compared to the 903 fatalities recorded by the HPS system at the time – an increase of 79%.