Gwent described as coronavirus 'hotspot' as First Minister said virus could be spreading 'east to west'

Coronavirus could be "spreading east to west" as the number of cases in Wales increased by the highest figure to date, the First Minister has said.

Aneurin Bevan University Health Board, which covers areas including Blaenau Gwent, Caerphilly and Newport, has 565 cases of Covid-19, Public Health Wales confirmed - the largest number of any health board area.

Public Health Wales publishes the number of new cases on its website every day at 2pm, but has said the true number is "likely to be higher", as routine testing is not taking place in the community.

When asked about the rate of virus in Gwent, the First Minister Mark Drakeford said explaining the reasons behind that "isn't straight forward".

Just last week, a senior doctor at the health board warned the area is seeing "the same pattern as was seen in Italy."

The number of people with the virus is approximately 0.1% of the population - meaning that there are 95.56 cases of Covid-19 per 100,000 of the population, compared to 66.8 in London.

"There is to extent, some degree of randomness to the way in which these hotspots emerge" Mr Drakeford said in a press conference on Monday.

The rate in Cardiff and Vale University Health Board, is 69.3 per 100,000 - and 11.7 in Betsi Cadwaladr Health Board in north Wales.

Take a look at the number of confirmed cases of coronavirus across the UK:

Mr Drakeford said one of the reasons could be due to a "very early case" of Covid-19 by a member of staff working for the health board.

"Part of the reason we think there may be an issue in Gwent is it had a very early case of a member of health board staff acquiring the virus - and therefore testing in Gwent was carried out more vigorously and more widely and earlier than other parts of Wales".

He also said there is "evidence" the virus is spreading from east to west across the UK - and the high figure could be down to population density.

"It could also be something to do with population density. The more people there are in an area, the faster the disease circulates as we've seen in London. Those factors all together may be part of the explanation why we have the position in Gwent, but chance is playing its part in that as well."

Dr Laura McClelland, a consultant at ABUHB said they are facing "unprecedented, difficult times".

"I have seen the most phenomenal demonstration of effort - in order to ensure that services are there to provide the highest level of care."

Credit: PA

The total number of cases in Wales however have been described as "relatively low", by the First Minister with 1,451 in total.

The latest figures in Wales show 14 more people died after testing positive for coronavirus, bringing the total number 62.

Twelve cases were residents outside of Wales, with 24 to be confirmed.