Multiple deaths at South Gloucestershire nursing home

A nursing home in South Gloucestershire has lost a ‘number’ of residents to coronavirus.

Managers at Edgemont View in Oldland Common have not said how many residents have died, but insist the home has been following all public health advice.

Managers at Edgemont View will not say how many residents have died

The home is currently closed to visitors and staff have been given health advice. South Gloucestershire Council has told ITV News that staff will be closely monitoring residents and looking for symptoms such as fever, cough or difficulty breathing. If symptoms are identified they will be referred for a clinical assessment. Some staff and residents, who are deemed to have been close contacts of confirmed cases, are being tested.

Edgemont View is a small 21-bed home for adults over 65 who require nursing care.

It is one of two homes run by a partnership of local GPs and was rated ‘Good’ in its most recent Care Quality Commission inspection.

Because the residents died in the nursing home rather than in hospital, their deaths will not be included in the official coronavirus death toll published daily for the UK.

Dr Stephen Illingworth, who is a senior doctor at the South Gloucestershire nursing home, said staff cannot be sure if anyone else has the virus.

At least three patients contracted Covid-19, and Dr Illingworth confirmed two of those have since died.

But he said he was unable to say if COVID-19 "still exists" within the home because only a small number patients had been tested.