Warning as coronavirus case total tops 10,000

RESIDENTS are being reminded to follow alert level four restrictions as more than 10,000 coronavirus cases have been confirmed in Bridgend county borough since the beginning of the pandemic.

A total of 10,079 cumulative cases were recorded by Public Health Wales as of 9am on Sunday, January 3. The county borough has a population of about 147,000.

More than 6,000 of those cases have been confirmed since the beginning of December with a new, highly-infectious strain of Covid-19 circulating. Bridgend county borough also has the highest positivity rate in Wales, with 36.5% of tests carried out in the seven days from Christmas Eve returning as positive.

This was 1,334 cases from 3,659 tests. The positivity rate for the whole of Wales during the same period was 25.6%.

Council Leader Huw David said: “With the highest positivity rate in Wales, it shows coronavirus is still spreading widely in our communities.

“Residents must keep following the guidance on social distancing, hand washing and wearing face coverings. You should also work from home wherever possible, stay at home except for essential reasons and not meet up with people from outside of your household or support bubble.

“The less contact we have with other people, the less of a chance the virus has to spread. Please continue to keep yourselves and your family, friends and neighbours safe.”

If you or anyone in your household develops symptoms such as a new, continuous cough, high temperature or a loss or change in your sense of taste or smell, you must self-isolate immediately.

A long-term testing facility is available at the Bowls Hall car park of the Bridgend Recreation Centre (CF31 4AH).

The site is open 8am to 8pm, seven days a week. A mobile testing facility is also based at the site of the former Revlon/Cosi factory off Oakwood Drive in Maesteg (CF34 9TS) between 9am-4pm, including on weekends.

Appointments for both facilities must be booked in advance by calling 119 or visit https://gov.wales/ getting- tested- coronavirus-covid-19”