Twenty-two residents at two separate care homes in the southeast of England have died during the coronavirus pandemic, it has emerged.

Seven people living at Hawthorn Green Residential and Nursing Home in Stepney died after contracting the virus, the east London home said.

Elsewhere, Public Health England announced that 15 residents at Castletroy Residential Home in Luton have died since the coronavirus outbreak began, five of whom had tested positive for Covid-19.

It comes as the Alzheimer’s Society issued a warning that tens of thousands of dementia patients across the UK risk being “abandoned” to the virus in their care homes.

The charity said at least half of care homes in the country are reporting cases of coronavirus, amid concerns about the lack of testing at residential social care facilities.

The Hawthorn Green care home in east London said another 21 residents are showing symptoms of the virus. Around dozen members of staff are reportedly off work, either because of illness of the need to self-isolate.

A spokesman for the home said: “Regrettably, seven residents have died who had symptoms consistent with Covid-19. Twenty-one residents are showing at least one symptom consistent with the virus.

“Immediately upon detecting either a high temperature, a cough, shortness of breath or any combination of these each resident is cared for in isolation in accordance with strict infection control measures.”

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The deaths at the 69-bed Castletroy Residential Home in Luton were described as “heartbreaking” by the leader of Luton Council.

Sultan Salimee, consultant in health protection at PHE East, said experts were working closely with the home providing advice to stop the virus spreading.

Councillor Hazel Simmons said: “To lose so many residents in one care home is heartbreaking and our love, thoughts and prayers are with the friends and families of those who have died, as well as the staff at the home.

“The council are supporting the staff at the home and will be offering support to the relatives of all those affected during this very difficult period.”

PHE said it did not recommend testing new cases in care homes when some patients had already tested positive “as it will not change the public health management”.

A statement from the Castletroy said staff “worked very hard to shield our residents, themselves and their families whilst continuing to provide care and support”.

The Alzheimer’s Society has written to the government expressing concerns about the lack of testing in care homes, and the fact many older people were being discharged from hospital to care homes without being tested first.

“We’re asking the government to provide personal protective equipment, and offer more testing, as an immediate priority,” a spokesperson said. “Testing for patients discharged, for the incredibly hard-working care home staff, and for residents themselves ... We need to do better. We need to the government to take action now, before it’s too late.”

Service providers have pleaded with health secretary Matt Hancock to deliver more personal protective equipment (PPE), and give priority testing to staff amid fears they have “fallen to the bottom of the pile”.

They have also demanded the impact of the virus on care homes is officially measured and published.

Nadra Ahmed, chairman of the National Care Association, said: “It’s very, very frightening because we want to keep our staff safe.