FOURTEEN people including residents and staff have tested positive for coronavirus at a Powys care home.

One resident at Maes-y-Wennol Care Home in Llanidloes died as a result of the outbreak over the weekend, it was reported by home operators Shaw healthcare.

In total, seven residents and seven members of staff tested positive for the virus over the weekend, with the care home’s staff affected by the virus currently self-isolating at home. A spokesman for the home said the six residents are receiving a “very strict level of care” at the home, located on Llangurig Road.

Mike Smith, Shaw healthcare’s chief operating officer, said: “We currently have seven residents who have tested positive for Covid-19 and unfortunately one has passed away over the weekend at hospital.

“We also have seven employees who have tested positive and are isolating at home. Our residents are receiving a very strict level of care, designed to best protect them and those around them.

“We are extremely proud and grateful to our frontline care team, they have been implementing stringent guidelines around infection control, deep cleaning, administering care and medication and also using Personal Protection Equipment (PPE).

“We send our condolences to the loved ones of the family member that passed away and would also like to extend our thanks to the residents’ families that have all been very respectful of the guidelines for self-isolation and social distancing that we are also adhering to, as issued by the government.”

Even though Powys is one of the least affected areas in Wales by Covid-19, Llanidloes (which includes Blaen Hafren and Llandinam) is the worst hit area in the county. In the week from November 28 to December 4 it reported the highest number of cases in the region – 21. The next highest was Ystradgynlais and Tawe Uchaf (17) followed by Crickhowell, Llangynidr and Llangorse (14).

That’s 323 cases per 100,000 people, compared to the overall Powys figure of 88.1 cases per 100,000. That places Llanidloes in the fifth highest decile (291-338 per 100,000) cases in the UK.