Coronavirus: Bid to bolster Covid testing in north Wales

A new Covid testing centre is due to open at Bangor University

Covid testing capacity could be expanded across north Wales as cases continue to rise across the region.

Health officials say four community sites focusing on key workers are set to be opened up to the general public.

There are two centres in Gwynedd, at Parc Menai in Bangor and Ysbyty Alltwen in Porthmadog, a test centre at Glan Clwyd Hospital in Denbighshire and at Wrexham Maelor Hospital.

A new test facility will also be opened at Bangor University.

Wrexham and Flintshire are among Wales' top five coronavirus hotspots.

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Wrexham has seen 127 cases per 100,000 people over the past seven days with 126 cases per 100,000 in Flintshire.

Cases are continuing to rise in Gwynedd but with 76 cases per 100,000 people, it remains under the Wales average of 93.

Anglesey and Gwynedd are the only counties in north Wales not under local lockdown rules

Wales' chief medical officer Dr Frank Atherton said Bangor was under "active watch" with restrictions for Gwynedd being considered.

Meanwhile, Conwy council leader Sam Rowlands has called for Conwy's travel restrictions to be lifted, saying it was affecting the tourism sector.

The speed at which public testing is being made available has faced some criticism, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Nia Jeffreys, who represents the Porthmadog East ward in the Dwyfor area of Gwynedd, said promises about testing in the near future were "too vague".

"Forcing people from Dwyfor, who are already ill, to travel an hour or more for a test makes no sense at all," said the Plaid Cymru councillor.

"There's clear evidence that people in Dwyfor are struggling to get tests and (Ysbyty) Alltwen should be opened to the public urgently."

Teresa Owen, the executive director for public health at Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, said: "Where possible, we have been testing members of the public at Ysbyty Alltwen where there is evidence that they have struggled to access a test elsewhere."

Ysbyty Alltwen at Porthmadog will become a testing site for the general public

A spokesman for the Welsh Government said: "A new local testing centre is due to open at Bangor University within two weeks.

"The local health board also has three mobile testing units and community testing centres in Ysbyty Alltwen and Ysbyty Gwynedd, which can be used to test members of the public in the event of an outbreak in the area."

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