100 new cases as infection rate falls
ONE new coronavirus death has been reported in Wales on Friday and more than 100 new cases.
New data published by Public Health Wales reported a further 114 new coronavirus cases in Wales yesterday, meaning Wales has now seen a total of 210,219 cases since the pandemic began.
The total number of lab-confirmed coronavirus deaths in Wales stands at 5,528.
The infection rate across Wales has also fallen and now stands at 20.4 cases per 100,000 people for the seven days leading up to April 4, a drop from 21 on Thursday. All of Wales’s local authorities are now reporting fewer than 50 cases per 100,000 people for the seven days up to April 4. Meanwhile the percentage of tests coming back with positive results is now 2.2%, way below the key benchmark of 5%.
The latest figures also show that 1,537,122 people have received the first dose of a Covid-19 vaccine and 498,318 people have had both doses. Uptake of the first vaccine dose by priority group (according to PHW):
Care home residents: 15,125 (97.3%)
Care home workers: 33,929 (89.2%)
Healthcare workers: 132,114 (92.9%)
Social care workers: 44,545 (no percentage available)
80 years and older: 166,507 (95.1%)
75-79 years: 127,578 (95.7%)
70-74 years: 174,839 (95.2%)
Clinically extremely vulnerable 16-69 years: 75,173 (92.2%)
65-69 years: 168,067 (93.2%)
Clinical risk groups 16-64 years: 290,015 (82.3%)
60-64 years: 185,165 (90%)
55-59 years: 201,450 (86.2%)
50-54 years: 168,000 (73.8%)
40-49 years: 147,125 (37.5%)
30-39 years: 98,480 (23.5%)
18-29 years: 77,482 (16.7%).
Cardiff reported the most cases on Friday with 28 followed by Swansea with 10, Gwynedd with nine and Flintshire with seven.
Wrexham, Rhondda Cynon Taf and Bridgend each reported six while Anglesey, Vale of Glamorgan and Conwy each reported five. Torfaen reported four new cases and Caerphilly, and Powys each reported three.
Blaenau Gwent and Neath Port Talbot both reported two, while Torfaen, Denbigshire, Ceredigion, and Pembrokeshire each reported one new case.
Merthyr Tydfil and Monmouthshire both reported none. Cases per 100,000 based on seven-day rolling average (March 29 to April 4):
Aneurin Bevan University Health Board
Blaenau Gwent: 17.2 (up from 14.3)
Newport: 14.2 (down from 15.5)
Caerphilly: 10.5 (down from 13.3)
Torfaen: 14.9 (up from 13.8)
Monmouthshire: 14.2 (up from 10.6)
Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board
Conwy: 8.5 (down from 10.6)
Anglesey: 30 (down from 34.3)
Gwynedd: 26.5 (up from 24.9)
Denbighshire: 15.7 (down from 17.8)
Flintshire: 17.9 (down from 19.9)
Wrexham: 22.1 (up from 26.5)
Cardiff and Vale University Health Board
Cardiff: 38.7 (up from 37.1)
Vale of Glamorgan: 14.2 (up from 12.7)
Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board
Merthyr Tydfil: 24.9 (up from 23.2)
Rhondda Cynon Taf: 17.8 (up from 17.0)
Bridgend: 6.8 (down from 7.5)
Hywel Dda University Health Board
Carmarthenshire: 15.9 (up from 14.8)
Pembrokeshire: 16.7 (down from 19.9)
Ceredigion: 12.4 (down from 13.8)
Powys Teaching Health Board
Powys: 8.3 (down from 9.8)
Swansea Bay University Health Board
Neath Port Talbot: 26.5 (down from 28.6)
Swansea: 33.2 (down from 35.2)
Wales total: 20.4 (down from 21.1 )
Dr Eleri Davies, incident director for the novel coronavirus outbreak response at Public Health Wales, said: “The Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Agency and Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation provided an update on the Oxford Astrazenca vaccine following reports of an extremely rare and specific type of blood clot following vaccination.
“The vaccine remains safe and effective and has already saved thousands of lives.
“The risk benefit remains strongly in favour of vaccination with the Astrazeneca vaccine for those aged 30 and over, and those aged under 30 who have underlying health conditions which puts them at higher risk of severe outcomes from Covid-19 infection. However, adults aged 18-29 years old who do not have underlying health conditions will now be offered an alternative.”