Two nuns are among 23 people dead in new coronavirus tragedy at Spanish old people’s home 

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Two nuns are among 23 people dead in new coronavirus tragedy at Spanish old people’s home

  • So far, 23 out of the 150 OAPs living in the retirement home have died 
  • The tragedy is the second in a Spanish old people’s home in the last week
  • 19 residents died at another Madrid retirement home last week
  • Spain’s defense minister says the army have found OAPs ‘absolutely abandoned’ 
  • Coronavirus symptoms: what are they and should you see a doctor?

By Natalia Penza and Chris Jewers For Mailonline

Published: | Updated:

Two nuns are among 23 people reported to have died in a new coronavirus tragedy at an old peoples’ home in Madrid.

The residential home has been named as the Santisima Virgen y San Celedonio home in the Spanish capital’s Chamartin district.

The nuns were living at the home, run by a not-for-profit foundation and home normally to 150 OAPs.

A view of the Santisima Virgen y San Celedonio home in Madrid, which has now seen 23 deaths, including two nuns

A man walks past the gates outside the Santisima Virgen y San Celedonio residential home in Madrid. 20 deaths were initially announced, with that number rising to 23 since

A man walks past the gates outside the Santisima Virgen y San Celedonio residential home in Madrid. 20 deaths were initially announced, with that number rising to 23 since

The front of the Santisima Virgen y San Celedonio residential home

The front of the Santisima Virgen y San Celedonio residential home

Members of Spain’s military emergency unit (UME) are said to have disinfected the residential centre.

Care homes in Spain have been at the centre of the coronavirus debate in Spain since it emerged last week at least 19 elderly residents had died at the Monte Hermoso residence in Madrid.

Spain’s Defence Minister Margarita Robles told a prime-time Spanish TV programme on Monday that soldiers tasked with disinfecting the homes as part of the fight against coronavirus were discovering abandoned bodies.

Spain's Defence Minister Margarita Robles listens to Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez deliver a speech. She has said persecutions will be brought against negligible carers

Spain’s Defence Minister Margarita Robles listens to Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez deliver a speech. She has said persecutions will be brought against negligible carers

The army was called in to disinfect the Care home properties in Spain over virus fears. It disinfected 179 nursing and planned to clean another 96 today

The army was called in to disinfect the Care home properties in Spain over virus fears. It disinfected 179 nursing and planned to clean another 96 today

She said: ‘The army, during some visits, has seen elderly people absolutely abandoned, if not dead in their beds.

‘We are going to be implacable and forceful when it comes to ensuring our pensioners receive the proper treatment in these residences.’

Insisting the great majority of elderly care homes did a proper job of caring properly for their residents, she signalled the launch of prosecutor probes into the situation by adding: ‘The full weight of the law will be brought to bear on those who don’t fulfill their obligation.’

Her comments have been criticised by senior nursing home workers who say the problem has been that undertakers were saturated by the number of deaths and could not cope.

Some of the residents have died in hospital and others at the home. There is no suggestion of any wrongdoing on the part of care home managers. 

A similar previous incident on 17 March at the Monte Hermoso residence in Madrid, situated close to the Spanish capital’s biggest park Casa de Campo, saw 19 elderly residents die, with authorities expecting that number to rise.

Two workers in protective suits inside the Monte Hermoso  home, which saw 19 deaths last week, help an elderly resident out of bed

Two workers in protective suits inside the Monte Hermoso  home, which saw 19 deaths last week, help an elderly resident out of bed

Journalists gather at the entrance to the Monte Hermoso home in Madrid last week as relatives of elderly residents who died inside look for answers

Journalists gather at the entrance to the Monte Hermoso home in Madrid last week as relatives of elderly residents who died inside look for answers

Regional health chiefs sent ventilators and face masks to the privately-run centre and the sick were taken to hospitals, but some residents of the care home were said to be dying in their beds before they could be transferred.

Rosana Castillo, whose mother is at the home, spoke to local media said relatives were informed there were 10 cases on Saturday but 70 cases the following day. Only 200 people live at the privately-run residence.

Although multiple deaths at some elderly care homes have sparked prosecution investigations, undertakers in areas like Madrid are known to have been saturated by the sharp and sudden rise in loss of life following the onset of the coronavirus crisis.

The drama led to Madrid city chiefs announcing they were suspending part of the municipal funeral service – and a popular ice rink in the Spanish capital being turned into a morgue.  

The country has entered a state of emergency as it attempts to stem the tide of new infections, with residents barred from going outside except to get essentials.

According to the latest figures from the Johns Hopkins University, Spain has suffered 47,610 confirmed cases of coronavirus leading to 3,434 deaths.

Residents of a Spanish town applaud ambulances carrying elderly people from a care home in which 38 OAPs were infected 

This is the moment a huge line of ambulances is filmed carrying elderly people from a town after the nursing home they lived in was devastated by the coronavirus.

The touching scenes were recorded in the town of Alcala del Valle, in the southern Spanish region of Cadiz, where 38 elderly people were carried away from the town in a convoy of ambulances and other vehicles.

The OAPs were taken out of the town following an order of the regional government as the Dolores Ibarrur had become a serious focal point of the COVID-19 outbreak.

Local media report 19 of the 33 workers in the home tested positive for the virus, whilst 38 of the 41 residents have also tested positive.

Juan Franco, the Mayor of the town had been working in the centre with four councillors after the staff fell ill and the building was then evacuated yesterday (Tuesday).

Reports state three of the residents died in 48 hours, and 10 have now been hospitalised. The other 28 were taken to the Tiempo Libre nursing home in the city of Linea de la Concepcion, according to reports.

In the video, residents can be seen applauding the convoy of ambulances as it makes its way through the town.

One onlooker can be heard shouting: ‘Come on, you are going to be fine, they are going to take very good care of you, don’t worry, you will be back very soon!’

Reports state the residents in the worse condition were taken in the ambulances whilst the rest were in other vehicles escorted by the Spanish Civil Guard and Army.

The transfer of the residents is reportedly a temporary measure as the Emergency Military Unit is disinfecting the nursing home.

Mayor Franco said he had not received any official document from the regional government about the residents being moved.

Reports state some residents in La Linea de la Concepcion, located around 125 kilometres from the infected nursing home, were concerned about the influx of infected elderly people but others have reportedly shown solidarity with them.