Up to 57 residents of a Jewish nursing home in New York have died of Covid-19.

A journalist for the Daily Beast reported that just on Friday, nine people had died at the Parker Jewish Institute on Long Island. 

According to an internal list seen by the reporter, this brought the total number of deaths at the care home to 57.

"There appears to a Covid-19 positive patient on at least 7 out of the 8 floors," wrote the reporter.

Local media reports had previously alleged that the nursing home was not properly equipped to deal with the Covid-19 outbreak, with staff reportedly lacking appropriate masks and sometimes having to wear bin bags as gowns.

Lina Scacco, an assistant vice president at the home, rejected the claim, saying: “It’s actually disturbing to me that people are telling you that. We have spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on personal protective equipment. 

“Whoever is telling you these things… maybe there is something going on in their lives or they are trying to sensationalise things. I don’t trust them.”

Residents of Parker Jewish Institute include war veterans and Holocaust survivors.

Ms Scacco told AP the care home was planning virtual memorials and grief counseling for staff members.

“This has been devastating to our families,” Ms Scacco said.