Flare-ups show virus far from gone

NEW data released by the Welsh Government and Public Health Wales has revealed the number of cases of Covid-19 in every community in Wales, with two Swansea Bay communities among the worst affected.

Public Health Wales publishes the number of coronavirus cases in every part of Wales.

This data was published yesterday.

It provides the figures for areas with an average of 7,000 people, called Middle Super Output Areas.

In practice this means there are statistics for areas like Morriston in Swansea, Canton in Cardiff, and Porth in the Rhondda.

The data shows there are six places in Wales with more than 200 cases per 100,000 of population.

The areas with the most cases and the rate based on a rolling seven-day average between March 17 and March 23 are:

■ Mynyddbach, Swansea – 374

■ Gellideg & Town, Merthyr Tydfil – 312.9

■ Bodedern & Rhosneigr, Anglesey – 264

■ Ystalyfera & Gwauncae-gurwen, Neath Port Talbot – 258.2

■ Holyhead, Anglesey – 233.2

■ Caernarfon West & Waunfawr, Gwynedd – 209.2

This data is very volatile because it covers smaller areas.

Where an area has a very small population, even one positive case can push up the cases per 100,000 significantly.

You should therefore be cautious about drawing too many conclusions directly from the information.

For example, in Cardiff, Butetown and St Mellons West have exactly the same number of cases at 7.

However, in terms of cases per 100,000 of population Butetown has 65 but St Mellons West has 108.

This is because Butetown has a higher population than St Mellons West.

Here are the three areas with the highest infection rates in each local authority of the Evening Post readership area, with the weekly infection rates for the previous seven days per 100,000 of population.

The data is based on the rolling seven-day average between March 17 and 23).

Carmarthenshire

■ Ammanford & Betws 75.7

■ Whitland, Laugharne & Llansteffan 72.1

■ Carmarthen West & Cynwyl Elfed 58 Neath Port Talbot

■ Ystalyfera & Gwauncae-gurwen 258.2

■ Aberdulais & Resolfen 87.7

■ Pontardawe 81.4 Powys

■ Newtown South 99.6

■ Ystradgynlais & Tawe Uchaf 69.3

■ Brecon 35.7 Swansea

■ Mynyddbach 374

■ Morriston South 118.4

■ Central Swansea 116.7.

Picture: Jonathan Myers Covid remains suppressed in Wales but there are still pockets of high cases, with the highest currently the Mynyddbach area of north Swansea.