CORONAVIRUS cases continue their downward trend so far this week in Powys with just eight new instances reported in the last 24 hours.

It raises the total number of cases reported in the county since the pandemic began to 1,740.

There have been no more deaths with the virus in Powys according to Public Health Wales (PHW) stats, remaining at 29.

Many of Powys’ sickest patients end up being transferred to hospitals in England, so deaths of Powys residents can be skewed and usually only appear in registrations reported later by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

ONS figures, considered a stronger indicator of the overall impact of the virus, and which are based on all deaths where Covid-19 is mentioned on the death certificate, stand at 126 in the county.

Powys stats:

Confirmed cases – 1,740

New cases in December 15 data – 8

Rate of new cases per 100,000 in week to December 10 – 129.9

Powys position among Welsh local authorities for rate of new cases – 19th out of 22

Newly-confirmed cases day-by-day:

Tuesday, December 15 – 8

Monday, December 14 – 15

Sunday, December 13 – N/A

Saturday, December 12 – 29

Friday, December 11 – 32

Thursday, December 10 – 43

Wednesday, December 9 – 10

Tuesday, December 8 – 12

The national picture:

A further nine people have died with coronavirus in Wales, while there have been another 615 cases.

It takes the total number of deaths in Wales to 2,891, according to PHW data.

All nine new deaths were in the Aneurin Bevan health board area – one of two in Wales that has halted non-emergency procedures in recent days due to spikes in Covid-19 cases.

Merthyr Tydfil continues to have the highest case rate of all Welsh counties, although the figure of 822.2 cases per 100,000 people is lower than Monday's reported figure of 870.3.

A new strain of coronavirus, meanwhile, which was found to be circulating in England is already present in Wales, the Welsh Government has confirmed.

On Monday, the UK government said the variant "may be associated" with a faster spread in south east England. More than 1,000 cases have been recorded across 60 English council areas.

The Welsh Government said there are at least 10 confirmed cases in Wales and more are expected to be identified.

The Welsh Government said: "It is natural for a virus to mutate over time and we have seen a range of mutations in Wales.

"In relation to this particular mutation, we have identified 10 confirmed cases and five probable cases through sequencing that took place during November. Further sequencing is under way and we expect to identify further cases.

"Public Health Wales is actively looking for this variant and will be tracking any other Welsh cases as they emerge. Our findings will be feeding into the work being undertaken across the UK."

There were 207 deaths involving Covid-19 in Wales in the latest weekly figures from the ONS.

Both Aneurin Bevan and Swansea Bay health boards saw the highest numbers of weekly deaths since the end of April, at the peak of the first wave of the pandemic.

Overall, Covid deaths fell for the second successive week from 218 deaths. But deaths from all causes are again above the five-year average.

Doctors have warned that Christmas relaxation of lockdown rules "makes no sense" as cases continue to rise in Wales.

The Welsh Intensive Care Society also wants an "urgent" lockdown across Wales before Christmas, warning critical care would be unable to cope without urgent action.

It comes after the number of positive tests passed 100,000 in Wales over the weekend. Wales has the highest Covid-19 infection rate in the UK – a seven-day average of 425 cases per 100,000 – and eight of the UK's top 10 worst infected areas are in Wales with Merthyr Tydfil, Neath Port Talbot and Bridgend the top three.

Wales' health minister Vaughan Gething has said "nothing is off the table" ahead of new Christmas rules which are due to be reviewed on Thursday. But he fears people would "make up their own rules" if meeting up over Christmas was banned.

In a letter to the health minister, the Welsh Intensive Care Society chairman Dr Richard Pugh warns critical care services will not be able to cope over the winter period without intervention "at the highest level".

Up to three households can stay together and form a "Christmas bubble" from December 23-27, all four UK nations have agreed. But the body representing intensive care staff want that decision reviewed amid fears it will cause a surge in cases.

Public Health Wales' statement:

Dr Giri Shankar, incident director for the coronavirus outbreak response at Public Health Wales, said:

“We are very concerned at the alarming rise in rates of coronavirus in nearly every part of Wales which is putting NHS Wales under extreme pressure, and shows no signs of abating.

“If at all possible, we would advise the public not to mix with other households now, and to consider carefully if it is still safe to form a Christmas ‘bubble’ with other households. Coronavirus spreads fastest when we are indoors with others, and gathering together for Christmas represents a significant risk of transmission, and increased cases will result in increased pressures on already stretched NHS services.

“We would advise the public that if they still want to have meaningful and safe interactions within the permitted exclusive Christmas ‘bubble’, then it is vital that you plan ahead, consider the risks involved and decide what would be safest for you and your loved ones.

“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.”