December 18, 2020 - 1411 views
Wales has sadly recorded 38 Covid related deaths and 2,801 new cases of the virus in the past 24 hours according to the latest from Public Health Wales.
Of these new cases, 185 are in the North Wales region. Wrexham has 78 cases, Flintshire 55, Denbighshire 18, Conwy 15, Gwynedd 13 and Anglesey 6.
Dr Robin Howe, Incident Director for the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak response at Public Health Wales, said:
“We are now one week away from Christmas, and we would strongly encourage people to think very carefully about the actions that they are taking at the moment, as they will directly impact on what happens during the festive period.
“The Welsh Government has confirmed that only two households should come together to form an exclusive Christmas bubble during that period.
“We would ask the public to very carefully consider if this is appropriate for them and their households. Particular caution should be applied if there are elderly or vulnerable members of their households who are at greatest risk.
“For those who do plan on forming a Christmas bubble, it is essential that this is planned and agreed with all the households involved. If doing so, we advise the public to now stop mixing with other households.
“This means staying out of other people’s homes, limiting the times and the numbers of people that you meet, maintaining social distancing and hand hygiene, working from home if you can, and self-isolating if you show symptoms of coronavirus or are asked to do so by contact tracers.
“We understand that people will want to do their Christmas shopping at this time of year. We would suggest to try to visit shops during off-peak times, to always maintain social distancing and to wear a face covering if you can.
“The number of Coronavirus cases continues to increase, with the seven-day rolling average passing 500 cases per 100,000 in Wales.
“Rates of infection have increased in 20 of the 22 local authorities over the last seven days, with the seven-day rolling average now exceeding 1,000 cases per 100,000 in one area.
“It is important that everyone continues to follow the advice on keeping Wales safe. Keep contacts with other people to a minimum, keep a two metre distance from others, wash hands regularly, wear a face covering where required, and self-isolating when asked to do so.
“Public Health Wales urges everyone to follow the rules, to avoid transmission of Coronavirus and to protect everyone in our communities, including the most vulnerable.
“If you or a member of your household develop symptoms of the Coronavirus, such as a cough, fever or change in sense of taste or smell, you must self-isolate immediately and book a free Coronavirus testeither by calling 119 or by clicking here.
“Helpful advice and support is available via the NHS COVID-19 app. As well as providing alerts if you have been in contact with someone with Coronavirus, the app will also tell you the current risk level in your area.
“Information about the symptoms of Coronavirus is available on the Public Health Wales website, or via the NHS 111 Wales symptom checker."
