Council run care homes in Glasgow have been closed to visitors to protect elderly residents form coronavirus.

The move has been taken as the city imposes stricter measures as the number of people infected rises and the deaths doubled to six.

Last week a care home in Uddingston, North Lanarkshire, reported six residents were tested positive for the virus.

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A council statement reads: “In response to Government and NHS guidance in relation to the spread of COVID-19 we’ve had to close all our five residential older people care homes to residents’ relatives and visitors.

“We will communicate directly to families and friends. It’s paramount we protect our most vulnerable residents at this time of crisis.”

A number of changes have been made to council services during the coronavirus outbreak and staff deployed in priority areas to deal with council staff self isolating.

As well as all schools and nurseries to close from today there are other temporary changes.

All school lets, except Out of School Care Lets, are now suspended.

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To prioritise essential services some alterations have been made to services including refuse collection, day care and registrars.

Bulk refuse uplifts in Glasgow have been suspended to allow staff to ensure household bins are collected.

The council said it made the change to focus on cleansing and public health as a key priority service during the coronavirus outbreak.

A statement reads: “In order to focus our resources on maintaining the uplift of general waste bins, collection of bulky waste is suspended from Thursday, March 19, 2020 at 12 noon until further notice.”

Residents can still take their own waste to the recycling centres at Polmadie, Dawsholm, Shieldhall and Queenslie.

Residents are told not to leave items on the street during the suspension as they will not be collected.

Further advice from the council states: “If you are a tenant of a registered social landlord which has its own arrangements in place for the collection of bulk items then please contact your housing association for further information.

“If you are a resident in privately-owned flats then please contact your property manager for further information.”

With the Health and Social Care Partnership the council has closed its 10 older people day care centres across the city affective from today at 4pm.

As statement said: “The HSCP is committed to supporting service users to remain at home during this difficult time.”

Birth registrations at the Registrars office in the city chambers have been postponed, but the council said parents do not need to worry about the 21-day limit.

The council will continue to carry out Death and Stillbirth registrations and accept Marriage Notices and issue schedules for marriages.

All Glasgow Life museums, libraries, council sport and leisure facilities and community centres have closed this week.

A spokesman for Glasgow City Council, said: “The Coronavirus outbreak; the necessary public health response to slow and limit its spread, and the impact of both on our staff will inevitably mean changes to what services the council is able to deliver and how we deliver them.

“We have to prioritise key services and support the most vulnerable in our communities, which will sometimes mean reducing or suspending other services. We understand many people will find that difficult, but these are necessary steps, given the extraordinary circumstances.”

More information at http://glasgow.gov.uk/coronavirus