One in four coronavirus deaths in Scotland have taken place in a care home, figures have revealed, as the first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, announced a move to test all symptomatic patients and staff in care settings and pledged to support the sector “in what is probably the most challenging situation any of them have dealt with”. National Records of Scotland data, which is published weekly alongside the daily running totals, from this week provides a national breakdown by the location of death. Up to 12 April, a quarter of all registered deaths involving Covid-19 (24.6%) occurred in care homes, rising to nearly one in three, or 30.26%, in the past week alone. The NRS figures also showed 62% of registered deaths were in hospitals, while 13% took place at home or non-institutional settings, with almost 70% of deaths among the 75-and-over age group. As of 12 April, a total of 962 deaths have been registered in Scotland with Covid-19 mentioned on the death certificate. Equivalent figures published for England and Wales show that, as of 3 April, a total of 4,122 Covid-19 deaths had been registered. Of those, 217, or 5%, occurred in care homes. However, the difference may well turn out to be higher as more deaths are registered. A recent report indicates that about half of all Covid-19 deaths could be happening in these settings in some European countries. At the Scottish government’s daily briefing, Sturgeon sought to reassure families with loved ones in care homes, telling them: “We are doing everything we can and continue to do so, to make sure appropriate steps are taken to prevent infection and manage any outbreaks with the protection of residents the absolute priority.” Sturgeon confirmed that 433 care homes – about 40% of all those in Scotland – have reported confirmed or suspected coronavirus outbreaks since the start of the pandemic. Clusters of deaths have been reported in homes across the country. Challenged on why the Scottish government had not introduced this level of testing sooner, she explained that it was already standard practice in every care home where there were suspected cases to test before infection control was instituted. She added: “The move to testing all symptomatic cases is not going to change clinical management, but we recognise that there is a feeling from families and staff that they wanted that certainty.” Amid concerns about the virus spreading from hospitals to care settings, Sturgeon admitted that not all patients discharged to care homes are currently tested for Covid-19, citing the danger of false negative tests, while her health secretary, Jeane Freeman, was unable to give figures on those discharged to care homes at the start of the outbreak to free up hospital bed capacity. Donald Macaskill, the chief executive of Scottish Care, the main umbrella body for the sector, described the death figures as “immensely sad and distressing”. Earlier on Wednesday, Macaskill launched a bereavement charter, offering principles and support with the express aim of helping Scotland grieve during the coronavirus pandemic and beyond. Planned before the outbreak, the charter emphasises that bereavement and grieving can be experienced by the whole community and not just individuals, and calls for an “open culture … where grief and death are recognised as a natural part of life”. Macaskill said that those working closely with the sick and the vulnerable would require particular support. “I do have great concerns about the mental health of care staff, who often have very close relationships with those they care for. The high degree of mortality we are expecting will take a huge emotional toll.”