Coronavirus in Powys round-up – Friday, February 26

Today’s Public Health Wales (PHW) figures state that 3,933 positive cases have now been recorded in Powys since the start of the pandemic. According to figures, no more people have died in Powys, with PHW deaths confirmed at 58. Deaths though had risen from 217 to 224 yesterday, according to more accurate Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures.

Deaths of Powys residents are typically skewed because 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.

There is usually a delay of at least five days between occurrence and registration in date collection. The analysis requires the joining of weekly and daily data using NHS numbers. Figures may differ slightly between those published by ONS due to the use of different extracts of the data at different time periods. Data is therefore subject to change as more information is received.

Yesterday we published data revealing which parts of Powys have suffered the highest numbers of deaths during the coronavirus pandemic.

The interactive map, published by the ONS, allows users to see how many people have died where Covid-19 was the main underlying cause on their death certificate in every part of Powys.

Data revealed that the highest number of Covid-linked deaths within Montgomeryshire and Radnorshire since the beginning of the pandemic was in Rhayader and the Elan Valley, where 19 people have died after contracting the disease since last March – although Ystradgynlais is the county's worst-affected area with 38 deaths recorded.

In Newtown – which is split in two by both the ONS and PHW when publishing statistics – 14 people have died, while in Welshpool there have been seven deaths since the start of the pandemic.

Abermule, Churchstoke and Kerry is the area with the fewest deaths – one person in that area has died after contracting Covid.

Powys stats:

Confirmed cases – 3,933

New cases in February 26 data – 17

Rate of new cases per 100,000 in week to February 21 – 86.1

Powys position among Welsh local authorities for rate of new cases – 7th out of 22

Newly-confirmed cases day-by-day:

Friday, February 26 – 17

Thursday, February 25 – 15

Wednesday, February 24 – 7

Tuesday, February 23 – 15

Monday, February 22 – 7

Sunday, February 21 – 6

Saturday, February 20 – 6

Friday, February 19 – 24

The national picture:

Sixteen more people have died from coronavirus in Wales. It takes the total number of Covid-related deaths reported by PHW in the country to 5,500.

Of the new deaths, five were reported by Cardiff and Vale health board. Betsi Cadwaladr, which covers north Wales, reported three, as well as Swansea Bay, which covers Neath Port Talbot and Swansea, and Cwm Taf Morgannwg, which covers Rhondda Cynon Taf, Merthyr Tydfil and Bridgend.

One death was reported by Hywel Dda, which covers Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire and Ceredigion, and one by Aneurin Bevan which covers Caerphilly, Blaenau Gwent, Torfaen, Monmouthshire and Newport.

A further 308 cases have been reported but Wales' overall rate remains at 75 cases for every 100,000 people.

The total number of people to have received their first dose of a Covid vaccine in Wales is 902,334 and 80,062 of those have had their second dose.

The head of the NHS in Wales, meanwhile, has said the number of people admitted daily to hospital with coronavirus symptoms has been reducing over the last month.

NHS Wales Chief Executive Dr Andrew Goodall, speaking at the Welsh Government’s coronavirus briefing on Friday, said: “There are now on average around 70 coronavirus hospital admissions a day, down from a peak of around 130 a day in January.

“There are almost 1,650 Covid-related patients in Welsh hospitals – this is 7 per cent lower than the same point last week and around 1,200 less than the peak in January.

“This is the lowest number since 19 November.”

Dr Goodall says the health service is still facing a “challenging time” but things were improving slowly.

Vaccinating people in order of age is the fastest way to cut Covid-19 deaths in the next phase of the rollout, say experts advising the UK Government.

People in their 40s will be next, once the current phase is completed.

Priority based on jobs would be "more complex" and could slow down the programme, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation said.

All four nations of the UK will follow this approach with a target of vaccinating all adults by end of July. More than 18 million people in the UK have received a first dose so far.

Public Health Wales' statement:

Dr Eleri Davies, incident director for the coronavirus outbreak response at Public Health Wales, said: “The Welsh Government announced (on Wednesday) that the revised vaccine strategy will mean that every eligible adult in Wales will be offered a first dose by the end of July.

“In addition, adults with severe or profound learning disabilities, and those with any mental illness that causes severe functional impairment, will be invited for vaccination as part of the JCVI priority group six, and the Welsh Government has published guidance on identifying eligible individuals in these groups and how to support them to take up their vaccine offers.

“The Welsh Government also announced an expansion of workplace and community testing, with workplaces with more than 50 employees now eligible for support to regularly test their workforce, helping to reduce the spread of the virus and allowing them to operate safely.

“Targeted community testing will begin next week in parts of Bridgend, Rhondda Cynon Taf and Merthyr Tydfil, to help find those who show no symptoms of coronavirus.

“Coronavirus rates have fallen in every part of Wales, but remain higher in some parts. We remind the public that we remain under level 4 restrictions to keep infection rates falling.”