Health Minister Richard Renouf issued a statement yesterday to say residents in the care home were self-isolating in their respective rooms and being treated by GPs who have been supplied with PPE.
Staff showing symptoms have been advised not return to the home.
The ministers statement came after a press conference in which senior health officials were asked about the cluster – details of which had started to emerge earlier in the day. No details were released during the 4pm press conference .
Deputy Renouf’s statement was released shortly afterwards.
And Deputy Renouf said: ‘I would like to outline how we are currently handling PPE in the Island. We have an ongoing supply of PPE coming into the Island, several times a week.
‘Currently, there is sufficient PPE for those organisations who need it and they are expected to use PPE according to the public health guidelines issued by our medical officer for health. By this, I mean that it is not necessary for everyone to have PPE.
‘By following these guidelines, we will ensure we use PPE in the most effective way to help the Island to balance the current challenges of global supply and demand pressures on PPE. We need to ensure we use the stocks we have appropriately so that our staff and patients can remain safe.
‘With regard to care homes, PPE has been delivered to nursing and residential homes dependent on their requirements, and deliveries are ongoing. ‘Hot drop’ packages are also delivered to care homes as soon as they report a suspected case of COVID-19. These ‘hot drop’ packages contain masks, gloves, gowns and aprons.’
