No deaths recorded for fourth time this week

WALES has recorded no new coronavirus deaths for the fourth time this week.

Public Health Wales (PHW) announced yesterday that the number of deaths with lab-confirmed Covid-19 since the outbreak began remains at 1,548.

There have now been no new deaths reported by the NHS trust on 10 occasions this month (July 6, 10, 12, 13 and 16, 18, 20, 21, 23 and 24).

However, this doesn’t necessarily mean no-one died with the virus on those specific dates as it can take several days for a death to be logged officially.

According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS) the true death toll in Wales, where the virus was mentioned on a death certificate, was already 2,484 by July 10.

Meanwhile PHW said the number of lab-confirmed positive cases of coronavirus in Wales had increased by 45 to bring the total to 17,075.

Powys recorded the most positive cases for the first time with nine, followed by Wrexham with eight, Cardiff with five and Neat Port Talbot with four.

Newport, Torfaen, Anglesey, Gwynedd, Merthyr Tydfil and Pembrokeshire all reported no new cases.

Despite testing capacity standing at 15,000 each day in Wales, 6,097 was used on Thursday.

Meanwhile, Public Health Wales has confirmed that the number of positive cases of Covid-19 at Zorba Delicacies Ltd food processing plant in Ebbw Vale has increased to eight, with one other probable case.

Dr Rhianwen Stiff, consultant in communicable disease control for PHW, said: “Public Health Wales and our multi-agency partners have been investigating cases of coronavirus associated with the Zorba Delicacies Ltd food processing plant in Ebbw Vale following the discovery of five confirmed laboratory cases.

“As a precaution, tests were arranged for the employees. Some 476 people have been tested, and among them a total of three additional individuals were found to have a positive test result for Covid-19. Contact tracing of these three individuals has already begun.

“This brings the total number associated with this incident to eight confirmed, with one other probable case.

“This is a very good outcome and we wish to thank Zorba Delicacies Ltd for their full cooperation.”

PHW said investigations are ongoing as to the possible cause of the incident, but reiterated that no outbreak had been declared at the site.