THREE residents in sheltered housing complexes owned by Basildon Council have died after battling coronavirus, the Echo can reveal.

An email from a council officer, which has been seen by the Echo, states nine residents at a number of Basildon Council’s 47 sheltered housing schemes died in hospital and that the council has been told by their families the cause was Covid-19.

But Gavin Callaghan, Labour leader of Basildon Council said he can only confirm three residents from the complexes died after testing positive for the virus.

He said: “I can confirm three people living in our sheltered housing complexes died in hospital with Covid-19.

“I have not see any official documents to show that more people from our complexes have died of the virus, but with what’s going on families are going to think their relatives’ deaths are linked to the virus.

“We moved very quickly to support residents and have increased our cleaning regimes and brought in changes about communal areas in our complexes.”

The email to a councillor also states the authority is in regular phone contact with all residents identified as being at possible risk or vulnerable and needing support and reassurance.

The email says the council has increased cleaning regimes in all of its managed properties and that residents have been told they are not permitted to socialise in the communal areas. t

These areas are only available for limited use such as access to the laundries and there are clear notices in place regarding social distancing.

Andrew Baggott, leader of the Basildon Conservative group, labelled the deaths “tragic” and praised the authority for its response.

He said: “I think that any death is tragic and that we are still in the middle of a pandemic that is awful and that we have got to protect our residents.

“I believe the council acted in a reasonable way. I can’t see any evidence of a failed duty of care or failure to protect residents in the complexes

“My thoughts are with the families of these residents who have passed away and anyone in our borough who has lost loved ones to this disease that has not left us yet.”