NEW CASES FALL TO LEVELS SEEN LAST AUGUST

THE number of new coronavirus cases reported in Wales in the past 24 hours has fallen to levels last seen in August 2020.

Wales recorded no new Covid-19 deaths and only 33 positive cases yesterday – the lowest number of daily cases in eight months since August 25 last year.

At the peak of the second wave in December and January, as many as 4,142 new cases were reported in a single 24-hour period.

The infection rate across Wales now stands at 12.2 cases per 100,000 people for the seven days up to April 22 – a decrease from 12.9 on Monday.

This is still slightly higher than it had been a the end of August last year but the rate has been falling consistently from a peak of 650 cases per 100,000 people in the seven days to December 16. The stats published yesterday by Public Health Wales (PHW) bring the total number of positive cases since the pandemic began to 211,354.

The country’s overall number of lab-confirmed coronavirus deaths remains at 5,548.

The percentage of tests coming back with positive results stands at 1.4% – significantly below the key benchmark of 5%. Gwynedd (2.8%), Newport (2.2%) and Powys (2.1%) are the only local authorities recording more than 2%.

The latest figures also show that 1,785,347 people have received the first dose of a Covid-19 vaccine and 701,099 people have had both doses.

Newport reported the most cases yesterday with eight followed by Wrexham and Swansea with four. Caerphilly and Neath Port Talbot had three new cases, while Gwynedd, Cardiff and RCT had two each.

Anglesey, Vale of Glamorgan, Merthyr Tydfil, Carmarthenshire, and Pembrokeshire had one new case each, and eight local authorities had zero including Blaenau Gwent, Monmouthshire, Torfaen, Conwy, Denbighshire, Flintshire, Bridgend, Ceredigion and Powys.

Last week First Minister Mark Drakeford said: “The sacrifices we have made continue to show results. Rates of the virus continue to fall and the public health situation is improving.

“Due to these efforts we are able confirm more easing of the restrictions. However, this is dependent on all of us continuing to work together to keep Wales safe.