Three Stewartry care homes tackling coronavirus outbreaks among residents

Three Stewartry care homes are currently dealing with coronavirus outbreaks.

Cases have been discovered at Merse House in Kirkcudbright and Alma McFadyen Care Centre in Dalbeattie.

That comes on the back of an outbreak detected at Carlingwark House in Castle Douglas at the end of 2021.

Health officials say they are currently 15 cases at Merse House, 10 at Carlingwark and seven at Alma McFadyen.

They are among eight care homes in the Dumfries and Galloway where there is an outbreak, with six residents across the homes having died within 28 days of a positive coronavirus test.

A spokesman for Dumfries and Galloway Health and Social Care Partnership said: “Thoughts are with the residents and staff at the care homes during this difficult time.

“The operators at care homes experiencing outbreaks have been faced with a challenging and difficult situation but full credit is due to them and their very dedicated staff for the responses that have been mounted.

“Covid is very highly infectious which means that containing its spread is not easy - even when it is being met with all the correct protocols, including regular testing and vaccinations.”