Europe's care homes struggle as virus deaths rise
As nursing and care homes across Europe battle to stop the spread of Covid-19 among older people, France has revealed 1,416 residents have succumbed to the virus since the epidemic began.
Alarming cases have emerged in the Spanish capital Madrid, with reports of a large number of deaths in two assisted living facilities.
Residents were taken up to hospital in the Italian city of Naples after a care home outbreak claimed several lives.
Cases are also reported in 100 care homes around the Swedish capital.
Although authorities in the Stockholm region have not given figures, public broadcaster SVT says a lot more than 400 people have been infected and about 50 have died.
What's happening in France?
For quite a while, French health officials have made clear the number of cases and fatalities they report each night will not include nursing and care homes.
Top health official Jérôme Salomon first revealed on Thursday that at least 884 persons in such homes had died because the start of pandemic, and then on Friday the number rose to 1 1,416.
Even that figure is incomplete, as not all homes have passed on details. In all, 6,507 persons in France have died of coronavirus.
The area worst damaged may be the Grand Est region nearby the German border, where two-thirds of care homes have been caught up in the pandemic. Regional health agency ARS says 570 elderly residents have died in the Grand Est.
Although it is unclear just how many deaths were due to coronavirus or if it's was a contributing factor, one care home director in the Bas Rhin area told French TV that he'd normally see 10 deaths a year, and he previously seen five in March alone.
What's happening in Madrid?
In Spain, where 10,905 persons have died in the pandemic, the Madrid region has been worst afflicted with 4,483 deaths.
The president of the Madrid region, Isabel Díaz Ayuso, estimates that 3,000 persons died in care homes in March and says that figure is 2,000 greater than normal.
Care homes have observed appalling outbreaks resulting in a collapse in staffing. Last month the military was called directly into help at retirement homes and found elderly patients abandoned and, in some instances, dead in their beds.
In two facilities alone there are reports of almost 90 deaths from the crisis.
The Vitalia home in Leganés, on the outskirts of the administrative centre, has already established a reported 43 deaths, while another 46 have died in the Reina Sofía de Las Rozas home.
Coffins were taken off the home in Leganés on Thursday. Of the 150 residents there, 99 have tested positive for the virus, Efe news agency reports.
'If only they hadn't wasted time'
A huge selection of deaths in residential homes were reported earlier on in the crisis in northern Italy, and infections have spread in homes further south in Naples.
Health workers in protective gear on Thursday moved elderly residents to hospital from La Casa Di Mela rest home, so that they can curb the spread of Covid-19.
The sister of 1 resident told local media that the home's managers had been pleading for tests to be carried out and it had been only after someone died that they took notice.
"If only the ASL (local health authority) hadn't wasted all of this time perhaps this outbreak might have been avoided," said a member of family of 1 of the residents.
"My sister has mild symptoms, I am hoping they stay that way."
