Deaths at Walls care home confirmed by Care Inspectorate

Wastview Care Centre

Deaths as a result of suspected Covid-19 cases have occurred at the Wastview Care Centre in Walls, the Care Inspectorate for Scotland has confirmed.

The Care Inspectorate said in a statement that it was “aware of the tragic deaths of residents at this care home”.

The spokesperson said these deaths were as a result of “suspected cases of Covid-19”, but would not confirm how many residents had died.

The Care Inspectorate added in its statement that “thoughts are with the loved ones of those affected as well as the staff and wider community of the home.

“We have been notified of the circumstances and we are in contact with the care service and the local health and social care partnership during this difficult time.”

Council chief executive Maggie Sandison, in an article in last week’s print edition of The Shetland Times, confirmed 20 people were being treated with suspected coronavirus symptoms in care homes or community settings.

Ms Sandison declined to say which care homes had been affected, however.

When pressed again on Friday about claims of suspected coronavirus deaths at care homes, including Wastview, she would not give confirmation because “the council never discusses or identifies individuals in any circumstances and we would never disclose personal data such as where people live”.

The Shetland Times has received unconfirmed reports that there have been five deaths at the Walls care home.

Only one death in Shetland linked to the coronavirus pandemic had previously been confirmed. That came in figures released by the National Records of Scotland on Wednesday which covered the period 30th March to 5th April.

The Scottish government will begin to break down the NRS death figures from this week.

According to the government, when the NRS figures are published each Wednesday, it will break these down to explain whether the person has died “in a hospital, a care home or another location”.

The Shetland Times last week reported that care homes were increasingly at the frontline of the battle against Covid-19. That situation is repeated across the UK, with the BBC and The Scottish Sun reporting that there had been several deaths at a care home in Glasgow.

In County Durham, England, 13 residents at a care home are said to have died after displaying coronavirus symptoms.

More in this Friday’s edition of The Shetland Times.