Fourteen more deaths in Wales as minister says hospitals are filling up

FOURTEEN more people have died with coronavirus in Wales, it has been announced.

Latest figures from Public Health Wales (PHW) for yesterday showed 962 positive test results were reportd in the last 24 hours, a drop on the record-breaking 1,148 recorded on Tuesday.

PHW also confirmed that 14 more people had died with the virus to bring the overall death toll with lab-confirmed coronavirus since the pandemic began to 1,736.

That’s the highest number seen in a single day since May 28 when 16 deaths were reported.

Cardiff remains the local authority with the highest number of cases per 100,000 people with 293, a rise on the 283.7 recorded on Tuesday.

Merthyr Tydfil had the second most with 253.6, up from 217.2, while Rhondda Cynon Taf (RCT) was third with 229.2, up from 201, and Wrexham fourth with 219.2, up from 200.8.

The other local authority areas recording more than 100 cases included Bridgend 191.1, Blaenau Gwent 187.5, Neath Port Talbot 186.3, Swansea 161.9, Flintshire 144.8, Denbighshire 142.1, Caerphilly 136.4 and Conwy 114.3.

The Wales overall infection rate is 149.8 per 100,000, up from 140.9 recorded the day before.

Several hospitals are now reporting Covid-19 outbreaks, including the Royal Glamorgan, the Royal Gwent, Princess of Wales, Prince Charles, and Morriston.

These are the key details from yesterday: ■ Deaths reported: 14 ■ Cases reported: 962 (down from 1,148 on Tuesday)

Number of tests carried out yesterday: 9,464 (down from 12,455 on Tuesday)

Cardiff, with 223, saw by far the most new cases reported on Wednesday, followed by RCT with 140, Swansea with 87, Neath Port Talbot with 62, Caerphilly with 46, Wrexham with 40 and Merthyr Tydfil with 36.

There were also double-digit increases in Bridgend (28),

Carmarthenshire (27), Blaenau Gwent and Newport (26), Monmouthshire and Torfaen (20), Gwynedd (19), Conwy (18), Flintshire (15), the Vale of Glamorgan (12), Pembrokeshire (11) and Denbighshire (10).

Meanwhile, Anglesey recorded seven new cases, Powys had four and Ceredigion two.

Cases per 100,000 for rolling seven days (October 12-18) ANEURIN BEVAN UHB

Blaenau Gwent: 187.5 (Up) ■ Newport: 64 (Up) ■ Torfaen: 92.6 (Up) ■ Caerphilly: 136.4 (Up) ■ Monmouthshire: 96.2 (Up) BETSI CADWALDR

UHB Flintshire: 144.8 (Down) ■ Wrexham: 219.2 (Up) ■ Conwy: 114.3 (Down) ■ Denbighshire: 142.1 (Down) ■ Gwynedd: 77.1 (Up) ■ Anglesey: 91.4 (Up) CARDIFF AND VALE UNIVERSITY HEALTH

BOARD ■ Cardiff: 293 (Up) ■ Vale of Glamorgan: 51.7 (Up)

CWM TAF MORGANNWG UHB Merthyr Tydfil: 253.6 (Up) Rhondda Cynon 229.2 (Up) Bridgend: 191.1 (Down) HYWEL DDA UHB Carmarthenshire: 68.3 (Up) ■ Ceredigion: 27.5 (Up) ■ Pembrokeshire: 50.1 (Up) POWYS TEACHING

Taf:

HEALTH BOARD

Powys: 48.3 (Up) SWANSEA BAY UHB ■ Swansea: 161.9 (Up) ■ Neath Port Talbot: 186.3 (Up)

Wales overall: (Up)

In addition, PHW has started publishing data on infection rates in hyper-localised areas of Wales. People can now see cases for their area since the start of the pandemic, or the last rolling sevenor 21 days.

On Monday First Minister Mark Drakeford announced a 17-day “fire-break” lockdown for Wales which will run from tomorrow at 6pm to Monday, November 9.

Mr Drakeford said: “The number of people being taken to hospital 149.8 with coronavirus symptoms is growing every day. Our critical care units are already full.”

Speaking yesterday, Health Minister Vaughan Gething said the number of people in hospital is now on the rise.

He admitted that the higher rate of infections that have been seen among young people had now spread to older generations and this was being seen in hospitals.

He said: “The latest figures show there are 894 Covid-related cases in our hospitals, up 26% from the same time last week.

“This is the highest it has been since June. There are 43 people in critical care with coronavirus, 72% higher than last week.”