The Welsh Government is advising people to wear masks in public if they have any signs of a respiratory infection. The new guidance comes as the country experiences high levels of flu and Covid circulating which are putting "unprecedented demand" on the NHS this winter.
Health boards have asked people not to visit hospitals if they have flu-like symptoms to protect patients, while the NHS 111 Wales helpline has also experienced record-breaking volumes of calls. Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board in north Wales declared a "critical incident" on Monday which resulted in routine operations being postponed.
According to Public Health Wales data, our current flu season is the most prevalent since the winter of 2019-20. In the week ending December 25, there were 1,877 cases of influenza diagnosed by family doctors in Wales, with consultation rates highest in those aged 25 to 44 years old. Some 369 people with flu needed hospitalisation in Wales during week 51, up from 236 cases the week before.
