A TENTH resident has died after testing positive for coronavirus at a care home on Skye, it emerged yesterday.

A total of 30 out of 34 residents and 29 staff at Home Farm care home in Portree have now tested positive for Covid-19. The outbreak at the care home, which was first picked up at the end of April, was the first time the virus had been confirmed on the Scottish island.

In response to the escalating number of fatalities, NHS Highland stepped in to help run the home after the Care Inspectorate raised “serious and significant concerns”.

A spokesman for HC-One, which runs the home, said: “Our thoughts and sympathies are with all families who have lost a loved one.” The company said it was “doing its utmost to support them during this difficult time”.

Meanwhile, the Scottish Government has announced it will fast-track emergency laws, which will allow it to step in and take over the running of failing care homes. The new laws will allow Scottish ministers to apply for an emergency order to temporarily intervene and manage services.

On Thursday, the Care Inspectorate began legal action, which could prevent HC-One from running Home Farm care home. The company said it was “disappointed” with the development, insisting it was working with NHS Highland to implement a “robust action plan”.

HC-One, which is the UK’s largest care home operator, has had to bring in temporary staff from outside the island, but insisted these were from homes that were believed to be Covid-free.

Families of the residents have criticised HC-One for only giving out limited information and for a “lack of transparency” about events at the home.

Highland councillor John Gordon, whose father John Angus died with the virus in the care home, last week claimed that local people were being kept in the dark about the circumstances surrounding the outbreak.

The latest death comes as last week’s figures showed 1195 care home residents have died of Covid-19, 42.8% of all deaths. Charity Scottish Care has claimed tough questions need to be asked about why care homes were not given the same priority to receive PPE as the NHS.