Coronavirus in Powys round-up – Wednesday, December 30

There were no more deaths recorded in the county – on a day there were 13 new deaths in Wales – meaning Powys deaths remain at 34, according to Public Health Wales (PHW) stats. That number stands at 134 according to more accurate Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures.

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

Positive cases in Powys surpassed 2,000 on Monday.

Visitors to Powys, and residents of the county, are being reminded that Wales is at Alert Level 4, after large numbers of people congregated at beauty spots following snowfall over the last few days.

Police set up roadblocks and turned away visitors to the Brecon Beacons from as far away as London on Monday and Tuesday.

Cars filled the Pont ar Daf and Storey Arms car parks and lined the busy A470 below Pen y Fan, which is the highest mountain in southern Britain.

Dyfed Powys Police said more than 500 vehicles were in the area on Tuesday, including a minibus from Cheltenham.

The force said people from mixed households travelled in the minibus, while they had also spoken to a man who had travelled from Hertfordshire.

Police said that there was “in excess of 500 vehicles” and officers had turned away visitors and reminded those coming off the mountain of Wales' lockdown rules, which include the fact that exercise must start and end at home.

Wales is also not open for visitors to travel from other parts of the UK, unless it is for essential reasons such as providing care or for work when you cannot work from home.

Powys County Council’s portfolio holder for corporate governance, engagement and regulatory services, Councillor Graham Breeze said: “I was shocked to see the pictures over the weekend of large numbers of people visiting the Brecon Beacons to enjoy the snow.

“We all know that getting out and about is good for your mental health, but please stick to the rules and stay close to home.

“We are at Alert Level 4 for a reason, because there has been a huge spike in Covid-19 cases which is affecting all parts of Wales. It is putting a huge strain on our health and social care services and is placing the lives of our most vulnerable residents at risk.

“Powys has some beautiful places to visit but they will still be here to enjoy after the large number of coronavirus cases has subsided, while some of your relatives and friends may not if they end up catching this deadly disease.

“We need everyone to play their part and stay home over the days and weeks ahead.”

Powys stats:

Confirmed cases – 2,375

New cases in December 30 data – 44

Rate of new cases per 100,000 in week to December 25 – 141.2

Powys position among Welsh local authorities for rate of new cases – 14th out of 22

Newly-confirmed cases day-by-day:

Wednesday, December 30 – 44

Tuesday, December 29 – 29

Monday, December 28 – 39

Christmas period – 72

Thursday, December 24 – 34

Wednesday, December 23 – 45

Tuesday, December 22 – 38

The national picture:

A further 13 people have died in Wales, taking the total to 3,429. The total number of deaths in Wales involving Covid-19, however, stands at 4,479, according to the ONS.

The latest registered deaths reported by the ONS, which take longer to compile and are published on a weekly basis, are significantly higher.

Those figures also count both confirmed and suspected cases of Covid, as well as deaths in all settings, including care homes, hospices and people's own homes.

PHW reports new deaths daily, but these are usually from previous days.

Both Aneurin Bevan and Swansea Bay health boards have seen their highest number of weekly Covid-19 deaths since the end of April.

Across Wales, there were 256 deaths in the week ending December 18, which was 33 more deaths than the week before.

This was 29 per cent of all deaths, the ONS said. The overall number of deaths for this time of year is more than 20 per cent higher than the five-year average.

So-called excess deaths, which compare all registered deaths with previous years, continue to be above average.

In Wales, the number of deaths rose from 814 to 882 in the latest week, which was 164 deaths (22.8 per cent) higher than the five-year average for that week.

Aneurin Bevan health board again saw the highest numbers of weekly deaths in Wales, the most since the end of April, at the peak of the first wave of the pandemic.

There were 63 deaths, 52 in hospitals and seven in care homes. The hospital deaths included 20 patients from the Caerphilly area.

There were 61 deaths involving Covid in the Swansea Bay health board area, also its highest figure since the end of April, including 43 in hospital and 13 in care homes, in the week ending December 18.

Cwm Taf Morgannwg saw deaths rise to 49, including 30 hospital deaths in Rhondda Cynon Taf (RCT), the fourth highest number for a local authority across England and Wales.

RCT, with 610 deaths, has the largest number of Covid-19 deaths in Wales, followed by Cardiff with 514 up to the latest week. RCT also has the highest mortality rate in England and Wales for its population size.

Pembrokeshire has the lowest mortality rate for Covid-19 in Wales, based on its population size.

Meanwhile, the rollout of a second Covid-19 vaccine across Wales will begin next week, the Welsh Government has said.

The vaccine designed by scientists at the University of Oxford was approved for use in the UK on Wednesday.

The UK has ordered 100 million doses from the manufacturer AstraZeneca – enough to vaccinate 50 million people. Health Minister Vaughan Gething said it was not "a quick fix" and the impact will not be seen for months.

Public Health Wales' statement:

Dr Robin Howe, incident director for the coronavirus outbreak response at Public Health Wales, said: “We welcome the approval of a second coronavirus vaccine for use in the UK, and the Welsh Government announcement that its roll-out across Wales will start next week.

“Although we are right to celebrate this announcement, we would sound a note of caution because vaccinating the adult population of Wales is a significant task, and the vaccine will take time to reach everyone.

“Please do not to phone your GP, pharmacy or hospital asking when you will get a vaccine. When someone is in one of the groups eligible for the vaccine, they will be invited to attend a dedicated clinic which will have been set up to ensure patient safety and that of the healthcare professionals.

“The effects of the vaccines may not be seen nationally for some time, and with Wales at alert level four we must continue to follow the advice on keeping Wales safe.

“As indicated by the Welsh Government, the new restrictions were brought forward due 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.

“The new variant shows up as positive in Public Health Wales’ existing coronavirus tests, and people must continue to seek a test in the usual way if they develop symptoms.”