A coronavirus outbreak has swept through a Perth care home which was one of the first to close its doors to outsiders last year.
Residents have tested positive for Covid-19 at Ochil Care Home on Ettrick Drive.
Family members of residents living at the Oakbank home told the Courier that at least two residents have tested positive, however there may be more cases.
Next of kin were made aware at the beginning of the week, promptly after the tests had returned positive results.
The Courier also understands that some staff have tested positive but that nobody has died during the outbreak.
A spokesperson for Barchester Healthcare said: “We can confirm that we have had individuals tested positive with Covid-19 at Ochil Care Home.
“Most are recovering well with only mild symptoms presenting and we will continue to support everyone in making as full a recovery as possible.
“We respect the privacy of our residents and staff in all matters and will not be commenting on specific cases but would like to reassure residents and families that we are continuing to do everything we can to keep our residents and staff safe and well.
“The general manager and her team is working closely with the Care Inspectorate, Health Protection Scotland and infection control teams, all of whom are happy with the procedures in place at the home.”
Residents living at the home, as well as carers, have received their first dose of the coronavirus vaccine already and bosses hope this will help protect everyone at the home.
A spokesperson for the care home added: “The vaccine roll out has lifted everyone’s spirits and we are sure these vaccinations are a major step towards our homes being filled with the buzz of visitors once again.
“As of January 29, 88 per cent of our residents and 85 per cent of our staff at Ochil Care Home have now had at least the first part of the Covid-19 vaccine.
“The numbers are continuing to increase here and across our homes everyday as the ramp up of the programme develops and our teams are working hard with NHS teams to make this happen as quickly as possible.”
The two-storey building has space for up to 81 residents and has a special “Memory Lane” wing for residents with dementia and space for young adults with a high level of
physical disabilities.
Operators Barchester announced that the care home, along with others in Monifieth and Dunfermline, would no longer welcome visitors without special permission at the beginning of March last year, before any mandatory Government rulings were brought in.
Last rated as “good” by Care Inspectors in 2019, Ochil Care Home has not been subject to an unannounced pandemic-specific visit introduced by the watchdog body in 2020.
Parent firm Barchester came under fire in May over its lack of transparency regarding coronavirus deaths in Courier Country.
Barchester, which also runs Canmore Lodge Care Home in Dunfermline and South Grange Nursing Home in Monifieth – where there had been at least 13 deaths by the end of April and more shortly after – had declined to release information and said it was “keeping relatives informed.”
In December, NHS Fife confirmed there had been deaths linked with an outbreak at Canmore Lodge where at least 35 residents and 32 members of staff tested positive for Covid-19.
Elsewhere in Perth, outbreaks in 2021 have been confirmed at Craigieknowes and Louisebrae care homes.
