Two residents at Coalville's Parkmanor Nursing and Residential Care Home have died as a result of contracting coronavirus and a further five have tested positive.

But two other residential care homes in the town - Coalville Care Home which is also run by Rushcliffe Care Group and The Rowans Care Home, operated by HC-One - are both coronavirus-free.

Graham Godfrey, Rushcliffe Care Group's Health and Safety Officer, told Coalville Nub News: "Parkmanor and Coalville care homes have had individuals tested for COVID-19.

"Coalville Care Home has had no positive COVID-19 results.

"Parkmanor Care Home has had seven residents tested positive,

"Of those confirmed positive; four remain unwell, two residents have unfortunately passed away and one resident has made a good recovery.

"Seeing a resident come through the virus and continue to thrive has been heartening for residents and staff alike.

"Both care homes have had support and advice from local GPs and pharmacies and we now have access to order testing kits ourselves."

Mr Godfrey said the coronavirus pandemic is 'a difficult period' for care homes across the country and that it has highlighted the important part they play in society.

"COVID-19 virus targets those with underlying health issues, including the elderly.

"As a care company we started our COVID-19 planning and continuity of care in mid-February, including purchasing of personal protective equipment and staff training.

"Our care homes in general have been affected in different ways by COVID-19.

"Where we have had symptomatic staff they have isolated and followed all Public Health England (PHE) guidance.

"Now that we have access to testing facilities, we are utilising these at every opportunity.

"When residents are symptomatic, they are isolated and increased infection prevention and control measures implemented.

"We have also followed PHE guidance and notified the local health protection teams, who have sent out staff within 24 hours to assess and test our residents."

Rushcliffe Care Group limited non-essential and family and friends visits to its care homes during the early stages of the pandemic.

"To mitigate the impact for residents, we supplied additional media platforms for staff to use with residents, helping to keep families informed and reduce the emotional impact this has had for some," added Mt Godfrey.

"Our residents are our family within the care homes and trying to keep contact with those outside the homes has been challenging."

Mr Godfrey paid tribute to the 'unstinting dedication and commitment' of staff at the company's care homes and their appreciation for the support from the community.

"As a care company we are extremely proud of the unstinting dedication and commitment displayed by all our staff, who have stayed with very ill residents to comfort them in their time of need, often well beyond their normal shift patterns.

"We are grateful for the community spirit and support our care homes have received.

"The gathering at 8pm on Thursdays is an uplifting recognition of the very difficult work and selfless devotion shown by our staff."

In a statement, a spokesman for HC-One which operates The Rowans Care Home, said the company is doing everything possible to protect residents and staff from coronavirus.

"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 they 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 of the medical equipment, PPE, and supplies we need to protect residents and colleagues alike.

"PPE supplies at our homes are good and nationwide we're distributing on average five million items per week, including face masks, gloves, aprons and visors.

"Our wellbeing team is working hard to keep residents active and engaged throughout this period and to support their connection with their loved ones through video and telephone calls."

The spokesman added that the company is 'exceptionally proud' of care home staff for their 'courage, dedication and commitment' to residents.

"We are providing round-the-clock support for all our teams and are also grateful to relatives for their ongoing support and understanding," he added.