Two more die as death toll in Wales hits 1,502

TWO more coronavirus deaths have been reported in Wales to bring the nation’s death toll to 1,502, latest figures from Public Health Wales (PHW) showed yesterday.

The figures also show 25 new cases of coronavirus have been reported to PHW, taking the total to 15,602.

Meanwhile the organisation is continuing to test workers affected by the outbreak at Rowan Foods Limited in Wrexham, with 166 cases confirmed there so far and that number expected to rise.

“We are working with Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board to urgently contact just over 300 workers that have not yet presented for testing,” said Dr Giri Shankar, incident director for the covid-19 outbreak response at PHW.

Investigations are also ongoing at the site of the Kepak meat processing site in Merthyr Tydfil.

Dr Shankar said: “A total of 29 verified positive cases have been recorded from workers since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, with nine of those cases occurring since June 1, 2020, when Wales moved into the recovery phase of the Covid-19 response.

“A Health and Safety Executive visit has been carried out at the site and HSE officers were satisfied that Kepak Merthyr are taking all reasonably practicable measures to prevent the spread of Covid-19 within the workforce.

“The company, supported by Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board, are carrying out widespread, rapid testing activity of its workforce.”

A total of 34 cases have been recorded at the site since April 25. There have been eight cases since the start of June, and six people are currently off sick with coronavirus.

There are also 175 confirmed cases at the 2 Sisters plant in Llangefni, Anglesey, in addition to the outbreak at Rowan Foods plant in Wrexham, where 70 cases have been confirmed.

At Tuesday’s Welsh Government briefing, Health Secretary Vaughan Gething said: “I want to restate, that at the moment, there is no evidence of wider community transmission beyond these plants.”

According to yesterday’s figures the total number of coronavirus tests that have been carried out across Wales now stands at 175,622.

They also show that the total number of individuals tested stands at 134,694, an increase of nearly 1,600 on the previous day’s figures.