A Welsh health board went to the highest alert level - known as a black alert - as the NHS comes under intense pressure with high winter demand, backlog of cases and staff absence with continued Covid disruption.
Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board declared a “business continuity incident”, the highest escalation level available. It lasted for 48 hours from 1pm on Monday until lunchtime on Wednesday, February 23. Cwm Taf's major hospitals include the Royal Glamorgan in Llantrisant, Prince Charles in Merthyr and Princess of Wales in Bridgend.
It is the first time in the pandemic that the health board has been forced to bring in the emergency measures and the health board said there was “exceptional demand throughout the whole system”.