Covid: Hospitals 'still full' despite falling new cases

Consultants have warned that Covid patients needing intensive care remain high in Wales

Hospitals are still full, despite the number of new cases of coronavirus falling in many communities across Wales, a leading doctor has warned.

Wales' average Covid case rate has fallen from more than 650 per 100,000 people before Christmas to 141.2.

However, rates in Wales' most infected county are double the national average.

Dr Giri Shanker, of Public Health Wales (PHW), said there were signs community transmission was going down, but warned the NHS was still struggling.

Dr Shanker, who is leading PHW's response to the coronavirus pandemic, said: "As much as it is welcome news the translation of that effect into our NHS and health care is yet to be seen.

"The hospitals are still full, critical care is full and sadly the number of people dying and is still where above where we'd like it to be."

Many hospitals have already cancelled some non-urgent procedures amid rising pressures as the number of Covid patients needing treatment more than doubled the April peak in December.

• What do the stats tell us in Wales?

• What are Wales' lockdown rules?

• Covid patients in Wales' hospitals double peak in April

After record numbers at the start of January, the number of Covid patients in Wales' hospitals had fallen to 2,570 on 31 January, according to the latest statistics.

These are the lowest daily averages for nearly a month, although patient numbers in Betsi Cadwaladr health board are still among the highest seen in north Wales since the pandemic began.

There were 371 patients with Covid on Sunday, down from the peak of 383 seen last Wednesday.

Betsi Cadwaladr also has the highest number of patients in critical care or on ventilation - 34- although in most other areas, numbers have fallen back from those seen in the first week of January.

In all of south Wales' health boards, the proportion of Covid patients compared to other patients is still about 40%.

The number of patients who are recovering from Covid but still too sick with the effects of the virus to be discharged has also continued to rise.

It stood at 1,192 on Sunday - the highest number since the patients started to be counted at the end of May - and 44% of all Covid patients in hospital.

• When, where and how will I get my Covid vaccine?

• How many people have been vaccinated in Wales?

• Vaccine Q&A: Health minister answers your questions

Some 192,912 cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in Wales since the start of the pandemic - with 630 people testing positive in the latest 24-hour period.

On Monday, PHW confirmed a further 21 people had died with coronavirus, taking the total death toll to 4,775.

Nine of 10 of the most infected local authorities in the UK in one week in December were in Wales, some with case rates above 1,000 per 100,000 people - prompting a strict lockdown on 19 December.

Six weeks on, Covid infection rates in Wales are falling.

While case rates have fallen in Wrexham, it remains the area with the highest infection rate in Wales, with 385.4 cases per 100,000 people - which is more than twice Wales' average of 141.2

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