'Dead, abandoned' bodies of COVID-19 victims found in elderly care homes

The army squaddies tasked with disinfecting elderly care homes discovered bodies of COVID-19 victims as some people were found dead while others still alive but abandoned.

It has emerged that COVID-19 victims have reportedly been found living with loved ones who are still alive. The state prosecutors in Spain have announced to launch an investigation into the death of 19 people inside Madrid care home. However, regional health chiefs lowered the number of deceased people to 17.

The discovery of coronavirus victims’ bodies at other homes visited by members of Spain’s military emergency unit (UME) is expected to lead to the launch of more probes by prosecutors to see if crimes have been committed, Mirror UK reported.

The Spanish military were mobilised to focus on elderly care homes after the catastrophic situation became apparent towards the end of last week.

Regional health chiefs confirmed yesterday that 21 people had died at a care home in Alcoy near Alicante identified as Domus Vi. The places where bodies have been “abandoned” have not been identified.

Spain’s Defence Minister Margarita Robles told a prime-time Spanish TV programme: “The army, during some visits, has seen elderly people absolutely abandoned, if not dead in their beds.

“We are going to be implacable and forceful when it comes to ensuring our pensioners receive the proper treatment in these residences.”

Insisting the great majority of elderly care homes did a proper job of caring properly for their residents, she added: “The full weight of the law will be brought to bear on those who don’t fulfil their obligations.”

Monte Hermoso, near the Spanish capital’s biggest park Casa de Campo, was identified last week as the first OAP care home rocked by mass deaths due to coronavirus.

At the time the death toll there was the worst reported so far from a single place in Spain. It was subsequently overtaken by the residence in Alcoy.

Politicians in Madrid have admitted 20 per cent of its elderly care homes have coronavirus cases.