Coronavirus infection rate continues to increase in Wales amid mounting concern over Delta variant

WALES’ coronavirus infection rate has risen again as another 113 positive cases were recorded in the Public Health Wales daily update.

The latest figures published yesterday also included one death within 28 days of a lab-confirmed case of Covid-19. It brings the total number of deaths in the PHW figures since the pandemic began to 5,571.

The seven-day infection rate across Wales has now risen to 12.4, based on the number of new infections confirmed per 100,000 population in the week up to June 5, up from 11.2 reported on Wednesday.

These figures are based on the date a test was done not the date a test was put on the system, meaning it is an accurate reflection of how fast the virus is spreading in Wales. Wales’ infection rate has now risen every day for the past 11 days.

There is mounting concern over the more transmissible Delta (Indian) variant. New figures released yesterday revealed that six more cases of the strain have now been identified in Wales to bring the total to 184.

Wales’ Covid hotspot remains Conwy, where the infection rate now stands at 29 per 100,000 population following a cluster of cases of the Indian variant of concern in Llandudno Junction, Llandudno and Penrhyn Bay areas.

The percentage of Covid tests coming back with a positive result has risen to an average of 1.3% over the past week.

In terms of hospitalisations, there were 23 people in hospital beds in Wales with confirmed Covid-19 on June 9, up from 16 the day before, and there were two people in ventilated intensive care beds with the virus. The confirmed Covid-19 cases in ICU are in Cardiff and Vale UHB area and Betsi Cadwaladr UHB.

Latest figures show that 2,195,485 people have had a first dose of the Covid vaccine, and 1,314,368 have had both doses.

Swansea reported the most positive Covid cases yesterday with 22, followed by Conwy with 10 and Denbighshire and Pembrokeshire with nine each.

Meanwhile Cardiff had seven new cases, Newport and Gwynedd had six and Flintshire had four. Caerphilly, Anglesey, Wrexham, Bridgend, RCT, Carmarthenshire and Neath Port Talbot all had three, and Merthyr Tydfil had two. A host of local authorities

reported one new case including Blaenau Gwent, Monmouthshire, Torfaen, Vale of Glamorgan and Powys. Only Ceredigion reported zero new cases.

Cases per 100,000 based on sevenday rolling average (May 30 to June 5)

■ Aneurin Bevan University

Health Board

■ Blaenau Gwent: 8.6 (up from 5.7)

■ Newport: 13.6 (up from 12.3)

■ Caerphilly: 3.9 (unchanged)

■ Torfaen: 12.8 (up from 10.6)

■ Monmouthshire: 9.5 (up from 8.5)

■ Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board

■ Conwy: 29 (down from 30.7)

■ Anglesey: 11.4 (up from 10)

■ Gwynedd: 17.7 (up from 16.9)

■ Denbighshire: 14.6 (up from 13.6)

■ Flintshire: 13.5 (down from 14.1)

■ Wrexham: 8.1 (up from 7.4)

■ Cardiff and Vale University Health Board

■ Cardiff: 13.4 (up from 11.7)

■ Vale of Glamorgan: 6.7 (up from 4.5)

■ Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board

■ Merthyr Tydfil: 3.3 (unchanged)

■ Rhondda Cynon Taf: 6.6 (unchanged)

■ Bridgend: 6.8 (up from 4.1)

■ Hywel Dda University Health Board

■ Carmarthenshire: 13.8 (up from 13.2)

■ Pembrokeshire: 15.1 (up from

11.1)

■ Ceredigion: 5.5 (up from 2.8)

■ Powys Teaching Health Board

■ Powys: 6 (up from 3)

■ Swansea Bay University Health Board

■ Neath Port Talbot: 14 (up from 11.2)

■ Swansea: 23.1 (unchanged)

■ Wales total: 12.4 (up from from 11.2)