Staff member at Skye care home at centre of earlier Covid-19 hotspot re-tests positive for the coronavirus, NHS Highland confirms
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NHS Highland has confirmed that a member of staff at Home Farm care home in Portree has re-tested positive for Covid-19.
Home Farm was at the centre of a viral hotspot earlier in the pandemic. Ten residents died and dozens of staff and residents tested positive for the coronavirus during the outbreak earlier this year.
The individual who has now re-tested positive had been followed up in line with national guidance and has been advised to isolate, said the health board. Contact tracing has also been carried out.
NHS Highland has also begun re-testing others as a precaution, and said it will inform all of those tested of their results as soon as they are available. The home has been closed to new admissions.
A spokesman said: "Evidence is emerging internationally about Covid-19 and it is now recognised that some people have prolonged positive swab results and others can have intermittent negative and positive results over many weeks.
"As such, an ongoing positive result does not mean that an individual is still infectious or that they pose a risk to others. However, when combined with new symptoms, it is necessary to adopt a precautionary approach as it is not possible to exclude the potential of a new infection or reactivation.
"There are no other cases of confirmed Covid-19 infection in the local community or on the rest of Skye and we do not believe there to be an increased risk of Covid-19 infection to the wider community at this time.
"However, the virus can recur even in rural communities and so everyone should continue to adhere to physical distancing guidelines, wear a face-covering when in enclosed spaces, clean your hands and surfaces regularly and immediately self-isolate if you develop symptoms."
