POWYS has recorded six new positive coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours – on the day we mark a year since the first lockdown began.

In the last 365 days, 63 people have died in Powys, according to Public Health Wales (PHW) figures, with that number elevated to 248 according to more accurate Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures.

The death rate in Powys over the last 12 months has been at a rate of 112 per 100,000 people. The peak month for deaths was April 2020, when 56 were recorded.

Powys figures show which of the 19 areas of the county have seen the most and fewest deaths of residents over the 12-month period.

The neighbourhoods with the highest number of deaths are:

Ystradgynlais and Tawe Uchaf – 40 deaths due to Covid-19; Rhayader, Newbridge-on-Wye and Elan Valley – 21; Brecon – 15.

The neighbourhoods with the fewest number of deaths are: Machynlleth and Banwy – 2; Abermule, Churchstoke and Kerry – 3; Builth Wells and Llanwrtyd Wells – 5; Montgomery, Trewern and Berriew – 5.

Factors behind a larger number can include the number of care homes in a particular area.

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, because they are based on all deaths where Covid-19 is mentioned on the death certificate.

Today’s statistics mean the total number of people who’ve tested positive for Covid-19 in Powys at has moved to 4,090.

Powys stats:

Confirmed cases – 4,090

New cases in March 23 data – 6

Rate of new cases per 100,000 in week to March 18 – 15.1

Powys position among Welsh local authorities for rate of new cases – joint 8th out of 22

Newly-confirmed cases day-by-day:

Tuesday, March 23 – 6

Monday, March 22 – 6

Sunday, March 21 – 7

Saturday, March 20 - 3

Friday, March 19 – 1

Thursday, March 18 – 7

Wednesday, March 17 – 1

Tuesday, March 16 – 1

The national picture:

Across Wales, 6,646 people lost their lives to the virus – 196 deaths per 100,000 people, with zero new deaths announced today.

This means there have been no new deaths with coronavirus reported to PHW for a second day in a row.

A further 127 cases have been reported in Wales in the past 24 hours, taking the total number of positive tests to 208,119. The seven-day coronavirus case rate in Wales once again remains at 42 cases per 100,000 people.

The number of deaths involving Covid-19 has fallen for the eighth week in a row in Wales.

There were 68 deaths involving the virus, accounting for just under 10 per cent of all deaths, according to the ONS. This was 35 fewer deaths for the week ending March 12 than in the previous week, the lowest since October 23.

The first death involving Covid-19 in Wales occurred in Wrexham on March 15, 2020. By this time last year, when the lockdown was brought in, there had already been 35 deaths.

The ONS figures show us the two waves of the pandemic. The first had a shorter, sharp spike; the second over the winter proved worse than the first.

The first wave over two months – March to May – brought more than 2,100 deaths. The peak came on April 12 with 73 deaths.

The second wave was more sustained: over nearly four months from late October to the end of February there were more than 4,800 deaths. The peak came on January 11, when there were 83 deaths.

Public Health Wales' statement:

Dr Giri Shankar, incident director for the coronavirus outbreak response at Public Health Wales, said: “Today marks the one-year anniversary of the first lockdown in Wales.

“Thank you to everyone who has worked to keep Wales safe over the past year, and we send our condolences to those who have lost loved ones.

“We are continually testing, researching, informing and developing our response to coronavirus for a better, more resilient future for all.

“Supermarkets can now sell non-essential items and garden centres can open in Wales. This slight easing of Covid lockdown rules is encouraging and while the level of infection across Wales has declined in recent weeks, there are still several areas which have significantly higher rates.

“In many areas of Wales, the numbers of cases are falling. It is now so important that we don’t throw away the substantial gains that we have made, and I would like to send a clear message to everyone that coronavirus hasn’t disappeared and there are still a large number of people who have not been vaccinated. In order to protect everyone, including the most vulnerable, we must all stick to the rules.

“Welsh Government restrictions state that you should not go into any other household or mix indoors with other people who you don’t live with.

“If you are contacted by your local TTP team then it is important that you are truthful with them about where you have been and who you have met. They are not there to judge, they are there to help prevent ongoing transmission of the virus and to protect the community.

“If you are asked to self-isolate by your local TTP team then please ensure that you do so for the full ten days – this will help break any chains of transmission.

“We encourage everyone, whatever their background, social demographic and ethnicity, to have the vaccine when they are offered it.

“Following a rigorous scientific review of all the available data, the MHRA has confirmed that the available evidence does not suggest that blood clots in veins (venous thromboembolism) are caused by Covid-19 vaccine AstraZeneca. This follows a detailed review of reported cases as well as data from hospital admissions and GP records. This has been confirmed by the government’s independent advisory group, the Commission on Human Medicines, whose expert scientists and clinicians have also reviewed the available data.”