Resident dies at Devon care home after large Covid outbreak
A resident has died and up to 33 people have tested positive for Coronavirus at a care home in Devon.
Staff and residents at Holmesley Care Home in Sidmouth had already been vaccinated and it is thought they were due to have their second vaccination this weekend.
Five residents are thought to have been admitted to hospital in the past few days and one of those people has since died.
The home is now closed to visitors.
In a statement the Director of Holmesley Care Home, Will Neal said “We can confirm that we currently have a high number of positive cases of coronavirus among residents in the home, and that one of our residents has now sadly passed away.
"Nearly all our residents and the team have received their first dose of the vaccine and were about to have their second dose, and we hope this may have helped prevent an even worse situation.
"We are working closely with Public Health England and Public Health Devon, and have a comprehensive package of measures in place to halt the spread and to ensure that our residents are receiving the care they need.
This latest outbreak is a reminder that vaccination from Covid 19 does not eliminate the possibility of transmission. However, vaccinations are said to be effective in preventing the severity of the illness and death.
In relation to this recent outbreak, a spokesperson for Public Health Devon said: “Public Health England South West and Devon County Council are working together to support staff and residents of Holmesley care home in Sidford following an outbreak of COVID-19 in residents. Sadly a resident has passed away.
“The home is currently closed to visitors.
“Residents and staff in the home have received their first dose vaccinations, which will be providing a level of protection for them. In addition, the home has a range of measures in place to respond to this sudden rise in positive cases, and to prevent further transmission. There is no current evidence of wider community spread.”The Director of Public Health Devon, Steve Brown added: “This level of outbreak is unusual following the rollout of the vaccination programme, but it is a reminder that we must all stay on our guard.
"While the vaccine rollout is going well and proving effective, we need to remember that no vaccination is ever 100% effective.
“We are working with health colleagues to do everything we can to minimise the spread of the virus in Devon.
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