Northern Ireland

Six deaths of patients with Covid-19 at Enniskillen care home

The home had managed to stay coronavirus free for six months before the outbreak
The home had managed to stay coronavirus free for six months before the outbreak The home had managed to stay coronavirus free for six months before the outbreak

SIX elderly people have now died from Covid-19 at a Co Fermanagh care home where 21 residents tested positive for the virus.

On Saturday four residents at Millcroft Care Home in Enniskillen with the virus had passed away, but the further deaths were being reported within 24 hours.

The home had managed to stay coronavirus free for six months before the outbreak which has also seen 18 staff diagnosed.

The latest deaths came as the Department of Health confirmed rising numbers of cases in care homes, with 139 separate facilities now with confirmed cases and four more `suspected', up from 126 confirmed outbreaks on Friday.

There are up to 70 residents in Millcroft Care Home which is one of three Enniskillen-based facilities run by Carewell Homes alongside Milverne Care Home and The Graan Abbey Care Home.

The company said it is continuing "to work through all Covid-19 outbreak protocols and maintain all infection prevention and control measures to ensure the health and safety of our residents and staff is our primary focus at this time".

The Public Health Agency says its "model of regular testing for care home residents and staff" means that "newly-reported care home outbreaks are smaller in magnitude and scale compared with the initial wave of Covid-19 outbreaks, where a very significant number of staff and residents were affected".