The community has rallied round a Gatehouse care home stricken by Covid-19 amid reports of staff getting abuse online.
Five Fleet Valley residents have died after testing positive for coronavirus in the outbreak.
They were among 44 people at the home – 16 staff and 28 residents – identified as having Covid-19.
The tragic situation was widely reported on the social media pages of national news sites.
But comments appearing to blame the home and its workers provoked a furious response locally.
Dee and Glenkens councillor Dougie Campbell raged: “I’ve been getting reports that staff at Fleet Valley Care Home in Gatehouse have been getting abuse online in connection with the Covid outbreak.
“This has to stop and I’ll be advising staff to contact the police if it continues. Directing abuse at staff is such a vile thing to do. Fleet Valley staff have worked incredibly hard in really difficult circumstances to look after our older folks.”
The councillor added: “Clearly we need to get the outbreak under control and that’s under way.
“My thoughts are very much with the families who have lost loved ones.
“The staff who care for residents will be grieving too.”
Gatehouse singer Susi Briggs, who regularly entertained residents before the pandemic hit, also slammed the abuse.
She said: “It’s really horrible to see people make comments online when they don’t know the whole story.
“I’m sure the staff are really disappointed that the virus has got in somehow. They have been so very careful – it’s heartbreaking.”
She added: “As someone who knows the people there I’m sending out lots of hopeful prayers to them.
“I say to the staff ‘we are behind you and supporting you’.”
Coronavirus was named as the primary cause of death in the case of one resident at Fleet Valley.
Three others passed away after being hospitalised with other complications and one resident who died was asymptomatic.
Sara-leigh Cain of TGB Gatehouse has set up an online Fleet Valley staff fundraiser to support the care workers.
On Wednesday morning, her Gofundme page had reached £700 – smashing her initial £500 target.
Sara-leigh said: “I think many of us are incredibly appreciative of the work the staff are doing at Fleet Valley through these very difficult times.
“There’s not much we can do but offer words of support and pray. However, we could help give a little to treat the staff.
“If anyone wants to donate, all funds will then be passed to Fleet Valley for the staff.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with them, the families and residents.”
