Wales has seen a sharp rise in its Covid infection rate likely to be driven by the Omicron variants BA.4 and BA.5, new data has revealed. The latest update from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) shows that one in 30 people in Wales, around 3.35% of the population, had the virus during the week ending June 24.
That was a significant increase on the one in 45 reported just a week earlier. The Welsh Government said the rate of positive cases appears to be highest in the region covering Bridgend, Rhondda Cynon Taf and Merthyr Tydfil. Some health boards have opted to reintroduce mask wearing and reduce visiting in hospitals due to the unwelcome rise in cases.
According to the ONS, across the UK a total of 2.3 million people in private households were estimated to have had the virus in the week ending June 24 - up 32% from 1.7 million the previous week. This is the highest estimate for total infections since late April, but is still some way below the record high of 4.9 million seen at the peak of the Omicron BA.2 wave at the end of March.
