A care home in Amesbury which lost a number of residents to coronavirus has managed to bring the infection under control, according to the trust which manages it.

Buckland Court in South Mill Road had successfully avoided an outbreak inside the home until early 2021.

But in January, at the height of the second wave, it was among the homes that battled a Covid-19 outbreak which claimed the lives of a number of residents.

The Orders of St John Care Trust, which runs the home, didn’t confirm how many residents died as a result but said the outbreak has now been contained.

In a statement, Janet Pannell, the trust’s Regional Director for Wiltshire, said: “It was with great sadness that some of our residents lost their lives in this outbreak. We are very close with the residents who live in our homes and their families and this was undoubtedly a challenging time.

“The speed at which colleagues in the home brought this under control undoubtedly prevented more infections and there hasn’t been a positive test among residents since January 20.”

According to the trust, the more transmissible Covid variant makes it “very difficult” to pinpoint how the infection was brought into the home.

A Wiltshire Council infection control visit was “highly positive”, the trust said, only recommending that two soft toys in the homes were washed and that PPE stations had drawers to avoid cross-contamination through inadvertent handling.

Mrs Pannell added: “As a Trust we have had stringent infection control measures in place from the first moment that that virus entered the UK and continue to follow all Government guidance on this matter – sometimes going further if we feel that measures do not sufficiently protect residents and our colleagues.”

Cllr Simon Jacobs, Wiltshire Council Member for Public Health and Protection, said: “There have sadly been a number of deaths in this care home during the current Covid outbreak and our thoughts go out to those who have died, their families who have lost a loved one and to the staff.

“We are working with the home to support their staff who are doing this important job in very difficult circumstances.”

The numbers of care homes in Wiltshire dealing with outbreaks and the numbers of positive cases recorded weekly in care homes are continuing to fall in lockdown, Wiltshire Council’s public health director has said.