Spike in Indian variant threatens easing of lockdown
CLUSTERS of the Indian variant of coronavirus found in seaside towns in north Wales could affect the easing of planned lockdown restrictions, Health Minister Eluned Morgan has warned.
Baroness Morgan described the rise in cases of the VOC-21APR-02 strain as “very serious”.
Public Health Wales confirmed yesterday that 35 confirmed or presumptive cases of the Indian strain were found in Llandudno Junction,
Llandudno and Penrhyn Bay areas over the bank holiday weekend.
Conwy county now has the highest seven-day Covid-19 infection rate in Wales, with 18.8 positive cases per 100,000 population.
The Welsh Government is set to hold a press conference tomorrow to
announce whether Wales can further ease lockdown restrictions from Monday.
Baroness Morgan told BBC Wales: “This is becoming very serious, we need to make sure that we try and nip this in the bud in that particular area and obviously all of this will play into how we assess the situation on Friday.”
The minister added: “I don’t think we’d define it quite yet as community transmission, but it’s on its way to becoming that and that’s why we really need people in the area to cooperate with us... to make sure that we can try and suppress this particular variant. The last thing we want to see is this spreading across the whole of Wales.”
She added: “We do know where those 35 people are and we are tracing their contacts.”
She said the increase had happened in a relatively short space of time, but added that compared with issues in some parts of England, it was quite a small number.
Updated figures on the spread of the Indian variant are expected to be published by Public Health Wales later today. The number currently stands at 58 according to PHW, but is expected to go up.
The UK Government has said up to three-quarters of new cases in England could be of the variant, which has been renamed Delta by the World Health Organisation.
The concerning spike in cases of the Indian variant prompted health bosses to urge people to get tested, even if they have no symptoms.
People living in Llandudno Junction, Llandudno and Penrhyn Bay were urged to get tested, in a joint statement from Public Health Wales, Conwy County Borough Council and Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board.
Richard Firth, consultant in health protection for Public Health Wales, and chair of the multi-agency incident management team, said: “This is a fast-moving situation.
“Please be vigilant for the symptoms of coronavirus, and get a test now.
“The emergence of so many new cases of this transmissible new variant of coronavirus in the Llandudno Junction, Llandudno and Penrhyn Bay areas is a reminder that we should not become complacent, even as rates of the virus across Wales remain low.
“Speed is of the essence. The sooner we act, the better, so please, come forward for testing as soon as you can.
“The more people with symptoms who come forward, the more cases we will find.
“More people can then be referred into the Test, Trace, Protect programme, allowing contact tracers to take action to put a stop to the spread of this variant in the area.
“If you are contacted by contact tracers, please help to protect your community by being honest with them about your movements and complying with their instructions.
“I also urge anyone aged 39 years and under to get a vaccine as soon as possible.
“Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board is delivering vaccination sessions for people aged 39 and under today and Thursday from 9am until 7.30pm at the mass vaccination centre at Venue Cymru, Llandudno.”
For residents without symptoms, tests are available for collection from the mobile test unit at Ysgol Awel y Mynydd Sarn Mynach, Llandudno Junction, Conwy.
This is a walk-in/drive-through centre with no appointment necessary and is open from 8am to 8pm.
Anyone with symptoms should go to Conwy Business Centre, Junction Way, Llandudno Junction.
This is a walk-in/drive-through centre, no appointment is necessary, and is open from 8am to 8pm.
Public Health Wales said the current evidence is that the Indian variant is at least as easy to catch as the dominant Kent variant, but it may be slightly more transmissible.
The Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines are effective against the variants first identified in India after two doses.
The hope was that Wales would see restrcitions eased and the country enter Alert Level One from Monday. This would include:
■ Allowing up to six people to meet in private homes from outside your household bubble;
■ allowing a bubble to form with two households (it is currently just one);
■ allowing up to 30 people to meet outdoors (it is currently just the rule of six); and
■ allowing organised activities of up to 50 people indoors and 100 outdoors. This will include weddings.