A TOTAL of 34 people have tested positive for coronavirus across Powys in the last 24 hours, and another person has died with the virus, Public Health Wales has reported.

Latest data shows that 2,191 people have contacted the virus since the pandemic began earlier this year.

There have been one more death in relation to coronavirus in the county in the past 24 hours according to Public Health Wales, meaning there have been 33 deaths in the county since the start of the pandemic.

Wales is in a national lockdown following concerns that a new strain of the virus is circulating across the country.

Across Wales, 63 more people have died after contracting the virus, and there are 2,161 new cases.

Powys stats

Confirmed cases – 2,191

New cases in December 24 data – 34

Rate of new cases per 100,000 in week to December 17 – 229.5

Powys position among Welsh local authorities for rate of new cases – 17th out of 22

Why are figures lower in Powys?

Deaths of Powys residents can be skewed as many of the county’s patients deemed acute are transferred to hospitals in England.

Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures therefore are usually 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. ONS figures stand at 128 in Powys.

Newly-confirmed cases day-by-day

Thursday, December 24 - 34

Wednesday, December 23 - 45

Tuesday, December 22 - 38

Monday, December 21 - 37

Sunday, December 20 - 32

Saturday, December 19 - 38

Friday, December 18 – 36

The national picture

According to Public Health Wales there were 2,161 new cases reported, taking the total number of cases since the pandemic began to 133,263.

As of 8am on Wednesday, December 16, a total of 10,917 people in Wales has received their first dose of Covid-19 vaccine, according to Public Health Wales.

Public Health Wales statement

Dr Eleri Davies, Incident Director for the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak response at Public Health Wales, said: “This Christmas Eve, we would like to wish our communities a safe and happy Christmas. It’s so important to remember that the more people you mix with, the higher the risk of both transmitting and contracting Coronavirus.

“We advise everyone to stay at home as much as possible, and to limit your social contacts.

“The more people who contract the virus, the greater the number who will need hospital treatment in our already stretched NHS Wales services.

“By staying at home, you will help protect our NHS and ultimately save lives.

“Travellers who have been in or transited through South Africa in the last 10 days are no longer allowed into the UK. We advise anyone returning to Wales from South Africa to regularly check gov.uk for the latest guidance and advice on self-isolating.

“Welsh Government has announced that the advice to those who are clinically extremely vulnerable, previously ‘shielding’ has changed. Those people within this group should no longer attend work or school outside the home. The safest option for people within this group is not to be part of a Christmas Bubble and to limit contact with other people over the festive period.

“Public Health Wales is working with the Welsh Government, local health boards, local authorities and other partners following the announcement of national restrictions in Wales from midnight December 20, 2020.

“Under the new restrictions, people must stay at home, except for very limited purposes. People must not visit other households or meet other people they do not live with. Non-essential retail, close contact services, gyms and leisure centres, and hospitality will be closed.

“Rules which allow two households to come together to form a Christmas bubble will now apply on Christmas Day only.

“As indicated by the Welsh Government, the immediate introduction of new restrictions is related to the identification of a new more transmissible variant of Coronavirus. Public Health Wales has been working with UK partners to investigate and respond to this variant.

“It is normal for viruses to undergo mutations, and we expect this to happen. Although the variant is easier to transmit, there is currently no evidence that it is more severe.

“We are reminding people that all current guidance relating to Coronavirus continues to apply to the new variant, including advice relating to symptoms, social distancing, self-isolation, and vaccination."