Covid in Wales: Three deaths registered in latest week

The first Covid death was registered in Rhondda Cynon Taf for six weeks

There were three deaths registered involving Covid in Wales in the latest week - the same as the previous week.

Deaths from all causes were above normal levels, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

The deaths involving Covid were in hospitals in Denbighshire and Wrexham and one in hospital in Rhondda Cynon Taf - the first in the Cwm Taf Morgannwg area for six weeks.

One of the deaths occurred back on 19 June, the others on 2 and 7 July.

There can be a lag in some deaths being registered.

There have been five deaths across Wales in the latest month up to 9 July.

What about 'excess deaths'?

So-called excess deaths, which compare all registered deaths with previous years, have been below average for 16 of the past 19 weeks. But there were 84 deaths above the five-year average in the latest week.

The number of deaths we would normally expect to see at this point in a typical year is seen as a reliable measure of the pandemic.

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The number of deaths from all causes in Wales rose to 639 in the week ending 9 July, with 0.5% mentioning Covid on the death certificate.

Deaths from all causes were also above average in England and Scotland. Data has been delayed for Northern Ireland.

Deaths involving Covid increased in all regions of England, especially the north west.

When looking across the course of the pandemic so far, there have been 49,486 deaths from all causes in Wales, with 7,907 (16%) mentioning Covid-19 on the death certificate.

This was 4,979 deaths above the five-year average.

Hospital cases show a rise

The number of patients testing positive for Covid has increased in Welsh hospitals to their highest point since early April.

There are also 20 patients in critical care or on invasive ventilation. This is the highest number since 26 March although 87% down on January's peak.

The figure for confirmed Covid patients in hospital beds has risen to an average of 87.

On Monday, admissions to hospitals of confirmed and suspected Covid-19 cases were running at a daily seven-day average of 12, the highest point since the start of June.

Covid admissions now make up 1% of all hospital admissions.

Case rates are rising but the numbers ending up in hospital were nearly five times higher at the same point during the second wave of the pandemic.

This shows the weakening link between positive tests and hospital cases, although any rise will be a worry for hospital doctors, already anticipating a seasonal rise in emergency cases.

The ambulance service has already issued a warning over increasing pressure.

Case rates are still rising in Wales, with Denbighshire showing the highest numbers in Wales.

There have been 127 positive tests in Rhyl in the past week, and more in communities including Prestatyn and Denbigh.

Across Wales, average daily cases are running at 837 a day.

The "doubling time" - the time it takes for the number of cases to double in size - is now 16 days, which suggests the rate of growth is slowing down.

The under 30s make up 52% of all positive tests for the latest day, which is less than we have been seeing in the past few weeks.

Public Health Wales reported no further deaths on Tuesday.

'Steady increase' in care home cases

Meanwhile, Care Inspectorate Wales (CIW) said there has been a "steady increase" in Covid cases in staff and residents at care homes since the start of June.

Forty homes had notified the organisation of at least one case in the past seven days. Only three local authority areas had no cases. Carmarthenshire and Denbighshire each had five homes reporting cases.

But there have been no deaths involving residents, according to the figures published by CIW.

First vaccine doses falling away

Latest figures show 72.4% of Wales' total population have had first vaccine doses, 61.3% have had second doses.

The past two days have seen the two lowest number of daily first doses, with Monday the lowest on 582. Second doses are now 92% of all vaccinations.

There are still nearly 126,000 (26.2%) of 18 to 29-year-olds yet to have a first dose. They made up about two-thirds of the first doses given out on Monday.