A mobile army testing unit is arriving on Skye today to boost efforts to prevent the spread of covid-19 after a “significant” number of residents and staff in a care home on the island tested positive for the virus.

Health officials said measures have been put in place to try to prevent the virus spreading further within Home Farm care home in Portree, or to the wider community.

Local MP Ian Blackford, who represents Ross, Skye and Lochaber, said 28 of the home's 34 residents and 26 of its 52 staff had tested positive, BBC Scotland reported.

NHS Highland refused to confirm the numbers, saying it followed national guidance on reporting confirmed cases and numbers of deaths, which are issued by health board area.

The health board said every member of staff who has tested positive for the virus has been asked to self-isolate for seven days, and their household contacts to self-isolate for 14 days.

Home Farm has put in extra staffing during this time and an NHS Highland support team has also been made available to assist the owners of the home to provide adequate levels of care when their own staff are at home.

Dr Ken Oates, Director of Public Health at NHS Highland, said there was no currently no evidence covid-19 had spread further into the community.

He said: “The measures that have been put in place will support us in ensuring, as best as we can, that the outbreak is as contained as possible.

“It is really important at this time that the local community continue to adhere to the government’s social distancing guidance and do not put vulnerable residents in the area, or themselves, at risk.”

Dr Oates said a mobile testing unit would be arriving in Broadford today to “further enhance” local testing capacity, which can be redeployed to other parts of the island as necessary.

He added: “We will continue to support Home Farm until this outbreak is over and all those affected are no longer infectious.”

Chief Executive of Highland Council, Donna Manson, said: “We are working closely with NHS Highland and other partners and local elected Members in responding to this outbreak and seeking to delay the spread within the wider community of Skye.

“This is bound to be a very worrying time for residents, staff and their families and for the local community.”

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