Covid-19: Bridgend sees jump in hospital outbreak deaths

Princess of Wales Hospital has seen deaths rise from 22 to 40 in the last week linked to a Covid-19 outbreak at the hospital

Another 28 deaths have been reported, linked to Covid-19 infections caught inside hospitals within Cwm Taf Morgannwg health board.

Eighteen of those were in the last week at the Princess of Wales Hospital in Bridgend, taking the total so far to 127 across four hospitals.

Meanwhile, 121 deaths involving Covid-19 were registered in Wales, said the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

The figure is 56 more than the previous week.

Altogether, Cwm Taf Morgannwg reports 531 cases of Covid-19 inside its hospitals, linked to separate outbreaks.

Royal Glamorgan Hospital at Llantrisant, Rhondda Cynon Taf, has the most - 195 - and there have been 56 deaths.

Along with Prince Charles Hospital in Merthyr Tydfil, each reported another five deaths in the last week.

The outbreak in Bridgend however has resulted in most of the recent deaths.

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The health board also said it was undertaking "urgent improvement works" at Maesteg community hospital, with one ward being closed until January,

Medical director Dr Nick Lyons said: "As we come out of the firebreak in Wales, the rate of Covid-19 infection in our communities remains worryingly high.

"Each day, more Covid patients are being admitted to our acute hospitals which are already very busy at this time of year.

"Please think carefully about your actions and adhere to the restrictions still in place."

The ONS weekly figures, up to 30 October, included 42 deaths registered across the Cwm Taf Morgannwg health board area, 36 of which happened in hospitals.

There were also 26 in the Aneurin Bevan health board area, 21 deaths in Swansea Bay, 15 in Betsi Cadwaladr and 10 in Cardiff and Vale.

There were five deaths in Hywel Dda and two hospital deaths involving Powys residents.

Only Anglesey and Pembrokeshire did not see any Covid-related deaths among Welsh counties over the week.

The total number of Covid deaths in Wales up to and registered by 30 October has now risen to 2,884.

This includes deaths in care homes, hospices and people's homes and when Covid is just suspected by doctors.

When deaths which were registered in the days following are counted, it takes the total to 2,984 deaths occurring up to 30 October.

Rhondda Cynon Taf (RCT) has now seen its cumulative death rate climb to 167 deaths per 100,000 people - and has moved up to third highest rate across all local authorities in England and Wales.

Cardiff has had the largest number of deaths in Wales with 427 so far in the pandemic, followed by RCT with 401.

So-called excess deaths, which compare all registered deaths with previous years, are above the five-year average in Wales.

Looking at the number of deaths we would normally expect to see at this point in the year is seen as a useful measure of how the pandemic is progressing.

In Wales, the number of deaths rose to 712 in the latest week, which was 96 deaths higher than the five-year average.

• A daytime helpline has now been set up by Cwm Taf Morgannwg for people who have concerns about the outbreaks - 01685 726464.