MORE than 20 residents at a Lanarkshire care home have died of confirmed or suspected Covid-19 in less than two months. 

Highgate Care Home, in Uddingston, has lost around one in four of its residents since March. 

The last coronavirus death registered at Highgate was on May 4 and bosses say it is now Covid-19 free. 

Shona Zellama, a nurse at the care home, said that a resident 'died every day' at the height of the outbreak in mid-March with 22 lives lost in total. 

The distraught staff member told Channel 4 News: "Usually when somebody's health has declined, we have an action plan and a care plan on how we're going to deal with it.

"All we could do is prepare these people to pass."

READ MORE: Six residents in Lanarkshire care home test positive for coronavirus

Another staff member said he believed care workers had carried the virus through the home. 

On May 1, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced that all staff and residents in care homes with a confirmed case of coronavirus would be tested to stop the spread of the virus.

Statistics released by National Records Scotland last week showed that 43 per cent of Covid-19 deaths registered to date have happened in care homes.

The last coronavirus death registered at Highgate was on May 4.

Ms Zellama added: "We all cry all the time. This should be a happy place and it is. But, we need to be really careful and what I don't want is for corona to be back here." 

Highgate Care Home is part of HC-One, the largest care home provider in the UK.

A spokesperson for HC-One said: “Our thoughts and sympathies are with all families who have lost a loved one from coronavirus and we are doing our utmost to support them during this difficult time.

“Caring for our residents and supporting our colleagues is at the heart of what we do, and we are doing everything we can to make sure our residents and colleagues stay safe and well throughout these challenging times.

“We have a comprehensive coronavirus contingency plan in place, which was created by our Clinical Director and reflects the latest government guidance. We are working closely with our local health and care partners, and we have all the medical equipment, PPE, and supplies we need to protect residents and colleagues alike.

“We are proud of our colleagues and how they have risen to the challenge of the coronavirus outbreak by showing huge dedication and commitment to our Residents. We are providing round-the-clock support for all our teams, and we are also grateful to Relatives for their ongoing support and understanding."