Seven more people have died with coronavirus, according to latest figures from Public Health Wales, and 1,834 new positive PCR test results have been recorded.
This is the last time WalesOnline will be publishing a daily article in this format with the latest Covid statistics because the end of routine Covid testing means data will not be available in the same way in future. We will continue to report on Covid hospitalisation figures and will put together a weekly article on Fridays bringing together the latest findings from the ONS infection survey and include all other available data.
The figures we're reporting today are based on the Public Health Wales update published on Tuesday, April 5 and cover a 72-hour period. It brings the total number of Covid cases diagnosed in Wales via PCR tests since the pandemic began to 866,863. The overall number of people who have died within 28 days of a positive Covid test in Wales now stands at 7,186.
The weekly infection rate is no longer a guide to the spread of Covid in Wales as March 30 was the last day people could book themselves a PCR test, with all sites beginning to shut down from March 31. The latest infection rate based on PCR tests for the seven days up to March 31 was 311.7 cases for every 100,000 people – a big fall from the 414.1 cases recorded on Monday.
Read more: What are the rules on Covid testing? When should you send children to school? How can you get tests?
In the seven days to March 31 a total of 39.2% of PCR tests across Wales gave a positive result – a fall on the 39.3% reported on Monday. The highest positivity rates were in Blaenau Gwent (51.6%), Torfaen (47.6%), and Rhondda Cynon Taf (44%). The highest infection rate (based on PCR tests) for the seven days up to March 31 was Blaenau Gwent with 492.4 cases per 100,000 population followed by Torfaen with 457.6 and Merthyr Tydfil with 381.3.
Cardiff recorded the most positive cases over the latest 72-hour period with 233 followed by Rhondda Cynon Taf with 128, Newport with 119, Caerphilly with 101, Torfaen with 89, Carmarthenshre with 87, Pembrokeshire with 81, Swansea with 79, Conwy with 78, Bridgend with 77 and Gwynedd with 76.
Meanwhile Flintshire had 72 new cases, Vale of Glamorgan, Ceredigion and Neath Port Talbot all had 65, Monmouthshire had 63, Wrexham had 59, Denbighshire had 55 and Powys had 54.
The local authorities with the lowest case numbers were Blaenau Gwent with 40, Anglesey with 38, and Merthyr Tydfil with 29.
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As of April 4 there were 20 patients in ventilated intensive care beds with confirmed Covid-19 – four more than on April 1. Seven of them were based in Cardiff and Vale University Health Board (UHB), four were in Betsi Cadwaladr UHB, three were in Hywel Dda UHB, two were in Cwm Taf Morgannwg UHB, two were in Swansea Bay UHB and two were in Aneurin Bevan UHB.
Figures are also being published showing the number of people in hospital being specifically treated for Covid rather than testing positive for the virus but being in hospital for other reasons. They show that as of April 4 there were 671 patients in acute hospitals with confirmed Covid of whom 93 (14%) were being treated for the condition. That figure has remained relatively static in the last week.
A total of 2,532,759 people have received one dose of the coronavirus vaccine and 2,402,290 have been given two doses. Meanwhile 1,942,627 people have been given their booster jabs in Wales.
Infection rate for every 100,000 people in each area for the seven days up to March 31:
Aneurin Bevan University Health Board
Blaenau Gwent: 492.4 (down from 628.4)
Newport: 364 (down from 430.6)
Caerphilly: 328.6 (down from 416.4)
Torfaen: 457.6 (down from 507.7)
Monmouthshire: 312.9 (down from 408.1)
Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board
Conwy: 285 (down from 349.8)
Anglesey: 307 (down from 428.3)
Gwynedd: 316.3 (down from 382.9)
Denbighshire: 339.6 (down from 478.6)
Flintshire: 289.6 (down from 408.1)
Wrexham: 283.2 (down from 431.8)
Cardiff and Vale University Health Board
Cardiff: 330.6 (down from 460.6)
Vale of Glamorgan: 359.3 (down from 482.8)
Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board
Merthyr Tydfil: 381.3 (down from 500.6)
Rhondda Cynon Taf: 334.5 (down from 424)
Bridgend: 268.6 (down from 362.5)
Hywel Dda University Health Board
Carmarthenshire: 265.4 (down from 374)
Pembrokeshire: 282.9 (down from 392.6)
Ceredigion: 264.1 (down from 354.9)
Powys Teaching Health Board
Powys: 251.4 (down from 365.5)
Swansea Bay University Health Board
Neath Port Talbot: 260.3 (down from 333.5)
Swansea: 218.2 (down from 303.2)
Wales total: 311.7 (down from 414.4)
The Office for National Statistics infection survey, published on Friday, April 1, shows cases are still increasing. It estimates that 212,000 people in Wales – or around one in 14 – had Covid the week ending March 26. In England it was one in 13, in Scotland it was one in 12, and Northern Ireland it was one in 15. The rate for Wales is the highest it has ever been in the entire pandemic.
The latest data on lateral flow tests, for the week to March 27, shows an increase in positive tests. There were 32,465 positive test results reported in the last seven days. That's up from 30,712 the previous week and the highest weekly figure ever recorded. The episode positivity rate increased from 22.83% in the previous week to 24.37% in the latest reporting week. Powys Teaching Health Board recorded the highest incidence rate of 1,135.1 positive testing episodes per 100,000 population.
Since Monday, March 28, people no longer have to wear masks in shops or on public transport in Wales but they are still needed in hospitals and healthcare settings. The Welsh Government decided not to relax all restrictions on that date, as it had hoped to do, as cases continued to rise in Wales.
The legal requirement to self-isolate has also been scrapped and instead people are now asked to stay inside if they test positive but it is no longer the law that they must do so. Businesses must still complete risk assessments.
Wednesday, March 30, was the last day the public were able to book a PCR test if they have symptoms of the virus;
From Thursday, March 31, all PCR testing sites in Wales were closed and free lateral flow tests to support regular asymptomatic testing in workplaces ended except for health and social care workers;
Free lateral flow tests for the public for regular asymptomatic testing ended on Thursday, March 31;
From Friday, April 1, if you have Covid symptoms you should use a lateral flow test to check whether you have Covid and from that date only people eligible for Covid-19 treatments will be able to order PCR tests to be done at home;
Routine asymptomatic testing in childcare and education settings, except special education provision, will stop on Friday, April 8.
To understand more about the consequences of this decision please go here.
Meanwhile the NHS has added nine new official Covid symptoms to the list of signs that could indicate you have the virus. The list has been updated to reflect new variants of the virus and the latest understanding of the illness. The advice comes as anyone who suspects they have Covid is asked to stay home for five days to avoid spreading it - though that is not enforced by law.
The new list of symptoms includes the three previously listed - a high temperature, a new, continuous cough and a loss or change to the sense of smell or taste - and adds:
- Shortness of breath
- Feeling tired or exhausted
- An aching body
- A headache
- A sore throat
- A blocked or runny nose
- Loss of appetite
- Diarrhoea
- Feeling sick or being sick
