FIFTY-FOUR people have tested positive for Covid-19 during an outbreak at a care home in Newbury.

West Berkshire Council says five people have died at Willows Edge since the first confirmed case on December 6 and three of those deaths were Covid-related.

The council, which runs the care home, says it is working with Public Health England and the NHS to contain the outbreak, which has affected residents and members of staff.

“We have some staff who were positive now all clear and returning to work so having our own staff back will be a great benefit to the home,” said a council spokeswoman.

It is not yet known what caused the outbreak at the home, that specialises in providing care for dementia patients and can accommodate up to 38 people.

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Last month, the council decided to close the run-down Walnut Close Care Home in Thatcham and move the 17 residents and 25 full-time staff to the other care homes it runs.

Most of the residents and staff are now due to be moved to Birchwood Care Home in Newbury, but some could be sent to Willows Edge or Notrees Care Home in Hungerford.

However, the council says all residents will be tested before they are moved and the transfer will be suspended if there are any outbreaks of Covid-19.

So far, 2,641 people have tested positive for Covid-19 in West Berkshire and 148 have died after contracting the virus.

Everyone in the district is living under Tier 4 restrictions following a sharp rise in cases.

When the second national lockdown ended on December 2, West Berkshire’s seven-day infection rate stood at 54.9 cases per 100,000.

It currently stands at 292.8 cases per 100,000, after 464 new cases were recorded in just seven days.