Covid-19: Wrexham outbreak declared over by health board

Many cases were linked to Wrexham Maelor Hospital

A coronavirus outbreak in the Wrexham area has been declared over by Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board.

In August, the area had more Covid-19 deaths - nine - than anywhere in Wales or England for three weeks running.

There was also a "spike" of around 80 cases at Wrexham Maelor Hospital and 300 linked to the Rowan Foods factory, with 30% of all Welsh cases coming from the area in July.

But there have been no new positive cases since last month.

"It has now been 28 days since any new positive cases of Covid-19 were identified as part of the outbreak in our east area, including Wrexham Maelor Hospital," said Dr Kate Clark, the board's secondary care medical director.

"As a result, we have declared that the outbreak is now closed."

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While the health board said there have been no new cases in the outbreak area, latest Public Health Wales figures show there have been 10 cases in Wrexham county borough over the past week.

Dr Clark said lessons from the outbreak in Wrexham would will be "shared and embedded" across the health board.

Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board looks after Wrexham and the other five local authority areas in north Wales.

In north Wales, it is currently managing 13 confirmed Covid-19 cases at Glan Clwyd Hospital, Denbighshire, and small numbers at hospitals in Colwyn Bay and Llandudno, Conwy county.