Isha Sesay
AN outbreak of coronavirus at a nursing home in Mallorca has led to the deaths of six elderly residents.
The presence of COVID-19 was detected at the Sant Joan Senior Centre just over a week ago, resulting in 75 people being infected.
As a result, the Balearic Ministry of Health ordered new screening tests to be carried out at the centre as well as at all nursing homes on the island.
This led to 30 more people producing a positive COVID-19 result at Sant Joan, brining the total number of infections to 106.
Out of these diagnoses, 81 are among the elderly, meaning the majority of the 112 residents have caught the virus.
The remaining 25 are employees at the home.
Officials say the outbreak was first detected after an employee began to experience symptoms of the virus.
A test was subsequently performed which yielded a positive result.
Due to the nature of their work and given their close contact with the elderly, the Ministry ordered mass testing to be undertaken at the residence.
The nursing home has since been closed to all visitors and staff, being divided into four areas by the IB-Salut health service to deal with the contagion.
These are as follows: confirmed positive patients, patients suspected of close contact, patients suspected of having symptoms and uninfected patients.
It comes as the Government of the Balearic Islands put four districts in Palma on a ‘partial lockdown‘ due to the rising number of COVID-19 infections.
The restrictive measures, which included a complete control on mobility, have been enforced in Son Gotleu, Can Capes, Soledat Nord and Son Canals, impacting some 22,700 people.
