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COVID-19: Worrying surge in North Wales and national cases


September 25, 2020 - 1109 views

COVID-19 infections have risen again in Wales as 320 new cases were reported in the past day. Sadly along with these cases, 3 deaths have been reported.

The news follows the announcement earlier today from Welsh Government which has seen local lockdown restrictions applied to Cardiff, Swansea and Llanelli.

The picture in the North is one of rising infections with 16 new cases in Flintshire, 9 in Conwy and 9 in Denbighshire. These areas are in scope for lockdown measures should the infection rate continue to increase to high levels.

Other cases in North Wales include 8 in Wrexham and 3 in Gwynedd.

Dr Robin Howe, Incident Director for the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak response at Public Health Wales, said:

“The new restrictions announced today for Cardiff, Swansea and Llanelli are welcomed by Public Health Wales.

“These restrictions mean that pubs, restaurants and other licensed premises must close at 10pm, and offer table service only.  Off licenses, including supermarkets and other retail outlets, must also stop selling alcohol at 10pm.

“The rules on extended households – or “bubbles” – have changed. Under the new restrictions, people cannot meet indoors with anyone they do not live with. 

“Further details of these rules can be found on the Welsh Government website.

“As well as observing the current and new restrictions coming into place, I would also urge people to download the new NHS COVID-19 app which launched yesterday (24 September 2020).

“The app forms a central part of the NHS Wales Test Trace Protect programme. We would encourage as many people to download and use the app as possible to help prevent the spread of Coronavirus.

“Some of the new restrictions announced earlier this week around pubs and restaurants will come into force today. These restrictions mean that pubs, restaurants and other licensed premises must close at 10pm, and offer table service only.  Off licenses, including supermarkets and other retail outlets, must also stop selling alcohol at 10pm.

“The ‘rule of six’ means that only six people from the same extended household can meet indoors.

“In addition, the Welsh Government has announced strengthened regulations and support for employees and employers who are required to self-isolate.

“In the areas where local restrictions have been brought in (the council areas of Caerphilly County, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Merthyr Tydfil, Bridgend, Blaenau Gwent and Newport), then those rules must be followed.  Details of these rules can be found on the Welsh Government website.

“We are continuing to see a steady increase in cases in many communities across Wales, and our investigations show that many of these have been transmitted due to a lack of social distancing.

“The council areas of Cardiff, Swansea, the Vale of Glamorgan, Carmarthen, Anglesey, Conwy, Denbighshire and Flintshire are all areas of concern to us and we are watching the data from there carefully, but numbers of cases are increasing in all parts of Wales so there is no room for complacency in any area. 

“We are also seeing an increase in the number of people who are seriously ill and have been admitted to hospital with COVID-19.

“We are concerned that much of the good work conducted over the past few months is at risk of going to waste. If the situation continues to worsen, we may find ourselves at the same levels of infection that we experienced earlier this year in March and April; and with that comes the potential for more extended restrictions to be imposed nationally.

“Coronavirus has not gone away.  It remains the responsibility of everyone to help prevent the spread of this virus to protect older and vulnerable family members and friends.  They should do this by self-isolating when asked to do so, staying two metres away from others, and by washing hands regularly.