Covid in Scotland: Six residents die in Stranraer care home outbreak

Six residents have died in a Covid outbreak at a care home in south west Scotland.

The first death was reported at the Thorney Croft site in Stranraer earlier this month.

Dumfries and Galloway health and social care partnership said a further five residents had since died, with 41 staff and 42 residents testing positive.

Community Integrated Care - which runs the home - said all necessary steps were being taken to reduce infection.

The first Covid-related death was reported at the home on 6 January.

In a statement the care partnership said their thoughts were with families and staff affected.

It added that it was a "very difficult and distressing situation for all involved".

A spokesman for the home's operator, CIC, said: "We continue to implement extensive infection control measures and have deployed additional senior leadership support to be based in the home.

"We are continuing to work closely with the local authority, public health teams and the Care Inspectorate to ensure that we are taking all necessary steps to protect everyone within the home and provide the practical and emotional support needed."

Virus prevalence in Dumfries and Galloway has risen sharply in recent weeks after previously being at very low levels.

National clinical director Prof Jason Leitch has urged people in the region to be "cautious" but not "scared" as a result of the increase in cases.