First Covid care home death recorded in Portsmouth since August

The latest figures from the Care Quality Commission (CQC) show there was one Covid-19 death in a city care home on November 17, bringing the total to 41 since records began on April 10.

This was the first death recorded in Portsmouth care homes since August 13.

As previously reported Councillor Matthew Winnington, Portsmouth council’s health boss, said the authority was following ‘strict guidance’ on infection control.

He said: ‘We continue to work in close partnership with private care homes to ensure that this best practice is taking place throughout the city.’

Data also showed care home deaths related to coronavirus are continuing to rise in Hampshire.

Between November 14 and 20 there were six deaths in the Hampshire County Council area. From November 7 to 13 there were also six Covid related deaths, and the previous week there were three.

There were two from October 17 to 23 and on September 25 there was one.

Before then the last Covid death was on August 26, and weekly figures remained low after June.

Hampshire County Council said it would continue to do its 'utmost' to protect residents, visitors and staff and that its public health team assess the local infection rates on a daily basis.

During the first ‘spike’ of Covid there were as many as 89 deaths in Hampshire care homes in one week.

SEE ALSO: 25 Covid positive patients discharged to care homes from QA Hospital

This matches the trend nationwide where coronavirus deaths are now up to almost 100 a day – but in August and September these were at single figures.

In Southampton care homes there have been 63 Covid deaths in total. The last one was on October 1.

Across England the total total number of care home deaths linked to coronavirus is now 16,105.

Some of the weekly figures increase in later data releases when more deaths from the period are notified to CQC.

As reported the total number of deaths linked to coronavirus since the pandemic started at Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth is 270. The most recent death was reported on Friday, November 20.

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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