Coronavirus: Mobile testing to combat Wrexham spike

Two sites will open for mobile testing in the town from Wednesday

Mobile testing units are being installed in two areas of Wrexham, following concerns coronavirus cases are rising in the town.

Public Health Wales (PHW) figures show 43% of all new cases in Wales in the last week were in Wrexham and neighbouring Flintshire.

There were 12 new cases in Wrexham in the last 24 hours.

Health officials say they believe the cases are linked to an outbreak at a food plant and to the town's hospital.

There were nearly 300 cases of Covid-19 linked to the Rowan Foods site on the Wrexham Industrial Estate.

Rowan Foods in Wrexham was a focus for Covid-19 cases

Wales' chief medical officer Frank Atherton said there appeared to be some community transmission of the disease in the area.

"We think that the community transmission is related to those two things: The hospital and the meat packing place," he told BBC Radio Wales on Monday.

"We have got two outbreak teams working closely together to make sure we have all the measures in place to contain it."

Dr Atherton said it also appeared the infection "tends to be concentrated in the more disadvantaged areas".

There have been 61 positive tests for Covid-19 in the council area in the last seven days, which was the highest rate per 100,000 population across any part of Wales over the week.

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Wrexham council said two "easy-access testing facilities" would be based in Hightown and on the Caia Park estate for "several days" from Wednesday.

"As well as making it easier for people to get a test, it will also help Public Health Wales gain further insight into the local situation," said Hugh Jones, the council's lead member for communities.

"People need to pay bills and put food on the table, and it's understandable that many will worry about testing positive and having to miss work.

"However, a lot of people may be able to get financial support and the council and its partners will help people access this information."

The public has been told not to attend A&E at Wrexham Maelor Hospital unless "necessary"

Over the weekend, officials at the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board called on the public not to visit the Wrexham Maelor Hospital A&E unit unless "necessary".

Patients, visitors and staff at NHS sites across north Wales have also been "actively encouraged" to wear face masks.

Responding to the mobile testing announcement, Caia Park councillor Carrie Harper said it "would be useful to know if there is any intelligence identifying local clusters".

"There has been concern in the community about the rise in positive cases in Wrexham and specifically in the hospital," said the Plaid Cymru member.

"Given the concerns, it would be useful to know when this was identified and which organisation made the decision to open testing centres in specific areas."