WORK on reducing the spread of Covid-19 in the borough’s care homes is currently being ramped up following a worrying rise in infections.

Positive cases in the borough’s care homes have been steadily rising over the past month, as infection rates fall across the region.

This week saw the biggest rise yet, with 67 people testing positive for Covid-19 between November 6 and 13, a rise from 35 the previous week.

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Five deaths were recorded during that week, with two suspected of being a coronavirus death.

The number of care homes that reported positive or suspected cases has also risen from four to five in the past week.

The testing of residents and staff is part of whole care home testing.

St Helens Borough Council says the data has been gathered daily directly from each care home and is accurate at that time of collation.

Cllr Marlene Quinn, St Helens Borough Council’s cabinet member for adult social care, said work on reducing the spread of coronavirus has “intensified” in response to the rising infection rates within the care sector.

“Last week we sadly lost two more care home residents to Covid-19, and there has been an increase in individuals testing positive,” the Labour councillor said.

“Our thoughts and sympathies continue to go out to all families affected by Covid-19.

“I’ve said before that our care homes are on the frontline of responding to the impact of the coronavirus, alongside our NHS, working to reduce transmission and save lives.

“As people across the country will know, and as this data shows in St Helens borough care homes, this response has intensified as infection rates have gone up.”

While positive cases in care homes are on the rise, the infection rate across the borough has been falling for a number of weeks.

Between November 5 to the 11, there were 464 confirmed cases of coronavirus, equating to an infection rate of 256.9 per 100,000 people.

A total of 22 recorded cases were found in people aged 80 and above.

One week earlier, the infection rate was 351.1, from 634 cases, with 43 cases recorded in the over 80s.

According to the latest ONS data, 83 coronavirus deaths have occurred in the borough’s care homes since the start of the pandemic in mid-March, although this figure will likely rise once the two recent deaths have been factored in.

Visiting restrictions remain in place in the borough’s care homes.

The restrictions were put in place by the local Covid-19 outbreak management board in September in response to the surging coronavirus rates in the region.

Last month, the council’s adult social care and health scrutiny committee last month that the visiting restrictions are kept “constantly under review”.

Rachel Cleal, St Helens Borough Council’s director of adult services,  also told councillors that care home staff talk on a weekly basis of the “emotional difficulty” the restrictions are having of residents.

She said the local authority needed to think about “new and different ways of facilitating visits in a safe way”.

Following the continued rise in positive cases, Cllr Quinn said the council remain “acutely aware of the profoundly harmful impact of loneliness and not seeing loved ones can have on individuals”.

Cllr Quinn said: “Our care homes face many challenges whilst continuing to provide excellent care to residents who are some of the most vulnerable people in our community.

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“In particular, maintaining the positive mental health of residents in their care, especially where family contact is limited.

“We are working with every setting to support Covid-secure visiting arrangements as we remain acutely aware of the profoundly harmful impact of loneliness and not seeing loved ones can have on individuals.

“These are daily challenges, and we will never forget the dedication of all our carers, in care homes, supported living, extra care housing and domiciliary care, and those unpaid carers in our community who are living with and supporting their vulnerable family members.”