A media report that an island seniors’ home had no qualified nursing staff on duty was wrong, a health ministry spokeswoman said tonight.

The spokeswoman was speaking after the story about the Matilda Smith Williams Seniors’ Residence ran on online news service TNN.

She said: “All residents who require medical assessments have had them performed by medical professionals and no medication has been given to residents by unqualified personnel.”

Kim Wilson, the Minister of Health, said the TNN report was “alarming”.

She emphasised: “I want to reassure the public that Bermuda’s 21 care homes and operations are stable.

“Additionally, I want to reiterate that there is a plan in place and active management of the situation at the Matilda Smith Williams Seniors’ Home.”

Ms Wilson said more information would be revealed tomorrow.

Residents and staff at the Devonshire rest home were tested for the coronavirus last week and 23 positive results were confirmed “in persons associated with the outbreak at the care home”.

The tests came after two residents and two staff members at the care home earlier tested positive for Covid-19.

She added: “The Ministry of Health liaised with the facility’s interim administrator as soon as the outbreak occurred to ensure that medical care was provided. “A registered nurse has been attending the facility every night since early last week, while the Department of Health’s long term care quality officer, who is also a registered nurse, has also been attending daily.”

The spokeswoman said that a medical director from the health ministry had been appointed to the home “to provide on-site and off-site medical guidance” on Saturday.

She added: “Additionally, the Department of Health will provide home resource aides to the facility.

“As of today, a full-time nurse has been appointed to the home.”

The spokeswoman said that personal protection equipment training had been given to staff at the home on Friday.

She added: “The epidemiology and surveillance unit is currently managing the outbreak in the facility and have recommended that additional measures be put in place and has provided further guidance to staff members in that regard.”

The spokeswoman said that families of residents at the home at had been informed of the Covid-19 outbreak by its board.