Nearly 70% of patients in critical care beds in Wales have suspected or confirmed coronavirus

Almost 70% of patients occupying beds in critical care units in Wales have suspected or confirmed coronavirus, Health Minister Vaughan Gething has said.

The health minister also said occupancy of critical care units is now at 40%.

Speaking during the Welsh Assembly's virtual plenary Gething said: ''Sixty-nine per cent of those people occupying beds either have suspected or confirmed cases of COVID-19.''

The number of beds in critical care units in Wales have doubled to 313 but that number will grow.

A doctor at The Royal Gwent Hospital has told ITV Wales they are preparing to exceed six times their critical care capacity but the hospital needs more equipment.

The health minister said nearly 1,000 ventilators are being bought, with more sought.

''We will continue with the rapid expansion of critical care bed numbers,'' Gething said.

''This will be supported with the purchase of over 965 ventilators, with further options to purchase or manufacture ventilators being urgently explored.''

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