Capital sees significant daily rise in Covid cases

CARDIFF yesterday recorded a significant daily rise in coronavirus cases, with more than double the number of new cases of any other Welsh county, according to latest public health data.

The capital saw 143 new cases recorded by Public Health Wales (PHW), up from 88 cases on Thursday.

By comparison, the next highest number of new cases yesterday was in Rhondda Cynon Taf (RCT), with 71 new positive tests.

The latest figures from Public Health Wales (PHW) show 766 new positive cases in Wales have been diagnosed following a lab test, an increase on the 638 new cases reported on Thursday.

The NHS body also said two new deaths among people who had tested positive had been reported to them, bringing the total to 1,646.

The increase in cases means the overall infection rate in Wales is more than 100 cases per 100,000 for the first time, with 102.9 cases per 100,000 people based on a seven-day rolling average.

However, more tests are being carried out now than during the peak of the pandemic.

Eighteen out of 22 of Wales’ local authorities saw a rise in their overall infection rate yesterday.

Merthyr Tydfil currently has the highest infection rate in Wales with 213.8 new cases per 100,000 people based on a rolling seven-day average, down from 223.8 on Thursday.

RCT follows with 171.2 cases per 100,000, down from 178.2 the day before.

Both these areas are covered by the Cwm Taf Morgannwg Health Board where there is currently an outbreak of cases at Royal Glamorgan Hospital and smaller outbreaks at Prince Charles Hospital and Princess of Wales Hospital.

The other local authority areas recording more than 100 cases per 100,000 included Wrexham with 155.9, Flintshire with 150.5, Cardiff with 148.8, Swansea with 137.3, Bridgend with 134.6, Neath Port Talbot with 117.9 and Denbighshire with 107.6.

In terms of new cases reported yesterday, after Cardiff and RCT, the next highest number of new cases were in Swansea with 64, Neath Port Talbot with 43, Bridgend with 40 and Caerphilly with 37.

Meanwhile, new data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed that an estimated 6,100 people in private households had Covid-19 between September 25 and October 1 – the equivalent of 0.20% of the population, or around one in 500 people.