Quarter of coronavirus deaths in Andalucia were residents of OAP homes

NEARLY a quarter of COVID-19 deaths in Andalucia have been amongst residents of nursing and retirement homes. 

By yesterday (April 2) 672 residents in Andalucian rest homes had been confirmed as having been infected, with 82 having died. The fatalities accounted for 23.4 per cent of the total coronavirus deaths for the region. 

The figures were revealed by the regional Minister of Health and Families, Jesus Aguirre speaking to the Permanent Delegation of the Andalucian Parliament. 

He was stressing that homes for the elderly needed special attention from the social and health services. 

Aguirre announced that the regional Ministry of Health has appointed a case management co-ordinating nurse in charge of those public and private nursing homes in the region that have been ‘medicalised’ and put under the control of his department. 

He added that between March 20 and 31, the Andalucian health system has monitored 1,021 residential and social health centres, with 1,572 visits to assess the situation and 7,830 monitoring visits, both by telephone and in person. 

He also said that, up to March 31 a total of 402,595 masks and 90,000 gloves had been distributed to homes for the elderly and disabled, and 150,000 masks had been distributed to home care services, and he said that over the next few days more material would continue to be distributed.