78 patients sent to care homes after testing positive

Dozens of patients who had tested positive for Covid-19 were transferred from Scottish hospitals to care homes, a report has revealed.

Public Health Scotland (PHS) said 78 such patients were discharged to care homes between 1 March and 21 April.

Only 650 of the total 3,599 elderly patients discharged from hospital during the period had been tested.

Nicola Sturgeon, however, said there was "no statistical evidence" hospital discharges led to care home outbreaks.

The analysis found the size of care home played a bigger role, with the largest much more likely to have outbreaks than smaller ones.

Deaths in care homes account for about half of Covid-related deaths in Scotland, with about 2,000 resident deaths.

• The people who have lost their lives to Covid-19

The first minister has previously said she only became aware from media reports that Covid-positive patients had been sent to care homes.

Quoting from the PHS report at her daily briefing Ms Sturgeon said: "The analysis does not find statistical evidence that hospital discharges of any kind were associated with care home outbreaks."

But she added: "Nothing in it detracts from the tragedy of the deaths that have occurred in care homes over the course of the pandemic, and nothing ever will detract from the heartbreak of those bereaved."

The delayed PHS report said nearly 5,000 individuals were discharged from NHS hospitals to care homes until the end of May, and about a third of care homes have had Covid outbreaks.

Of 78 patients discharged before 21 April after having had a positive test result, only 10 had been retested and found to be negative prior to discharge.

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