Coronavirus: Fears as 10 more care home residents in Portsmouth die with Covid-19 symptoms

A TOTAL of 10 more care home residents with coronavirus symptoms have died in Portsmouth, bringing the total to 14.
The family of Teresa Bridgman, who is a resident of Harry Sotnick House in Portsmouth, have raised fears for her health. Picture: Lisa AtkinsonThe family of Teresa Bridgman, who is a resident of Harry Sotnick House in Portsmouth, have raised fears for her health. Picture: Lisa Atkinson
The family of Teresa Bridgman, who is a resident of Harry Sotnick House in Portsmouth, have raised fears for her health. Picture: Lisa Atkinson

As of today (April 15) nine residents of nursing home Harry Sotnick House in Buckland and five residents of the Shearwater residential home in Southsea, both of which are council run, are known to have died after showing symptoms of Covid-19.

Previously The News reported how four residents with coronavirus symptoms from Harry Sotnick House had died.

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Coronavirus: Five Portsmouth care home residents die - four of them had Covid-19...
Teresa Bridgman who is a resident of Harry Sotnick House in Portsmouth. Picture Lisa AtkinsonTeresa Bridgman who is a resident of Harry Sotnick House in Portsmouth. Picture Lisa Atkinson
Teresa Bridgman who is a resident of Harry Sotnick House in Portsmouth. Picture Lisa Atkinson
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Portsmouth City Council's health and wellbeing boss, Councillor Matthew Winnington, said: 'This is terribly sad news.

'Our thoughts are with the loved ones of those who have passed away, and with staff members who knew and cared for them.

'The Department of Health and Social Care confirmed on Monday that 2,099 homes have been affected by outbreaks during the course of the pandemic in the UK, which equals around 13.5 per cent of residential and nursing homes.

'These numbers shows the scale of the challenge that staff in care homes across the country are facing.'

Four more residents of Harry Sotnick house have now died. Picture: Malcolm Wells ( 120550-971)Four more residents of Harry Sotnick house have now died. Picture: Malcolm Wells ( 120550-971)
Four more residents of Harry Sotnick house have now died. Picture: Malcolm Wells ( 120550-971)
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It comes as one family raised concerns for their mum, 89-year-old Teresa Bridgman, believing Harry Sotnick House should not accept new residents from hospital or the community due to the risk of further infection.

Her daughter Lisa Atkinson, who lives in Copnor, said: 'A major issue is bringing people in from outside into a vulnerable environment, it's like giving the residents a death sentence.

'Now that we know there have been deaths in the home they should not be bringing anyone else in, I can't see why they are putting elderly people at risk.'

Teresa is living with dementia and has also survived two heart attacks and two mini strokes.

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Lisa added: 'It is really worrying for us because she is vulnerable. She is in isolation now and they started using PPE this week, but they should have been doing that a while ago.

'The staff are doing a fabulous job, they should be commended in every way. It's in the council and the leadership that I have concerns. The staff are risking their lives to look after our mum and the other residents.'

But Cllr Winnington explained the council had been taking 'extra precautions' and were unable to refuse the admission of hospital patients.

He said: 'Throughout all of this we are working with Public Health England specialists. We have shared our plans with them, and they have endorsed the approach we are taking, this includes how we are using PPE, increasing cleaning and isolating residents.

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'At this time the NHS needs as many hospital beds to be available as possible so we are not in a position to refuse to take people into our homes. We have been taking extra precautions with any residents coming into homes and putting them in isolation for 14 days to minimise the spread of coronavirus.

'Some of what we're doing goes beyond government guidance and we are keeping families updated on everything we are doing.'

There are currently 53 people living in Harry Sotnick House and 55 people in Shearwater.

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