Concerns over coronavirus case rates in north Wales despite falling case numbers across the country

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Wales passed the half million vaccinations mark earlier this week. Credit: PA Images

There have been a further 49 suspected coronavirus deaths and 675 new confirmed cases, Public Health Wales data published on Saturday revealed.

Meanwhile, 556,997 people have now received their first dose of the coronavirus vaccine; 2,471 have had a two-dose course.

Amongst the over-80s, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation's (JCVI) top priority group, 84.7 per cent have been vaccinated.

However, despite an "encouraging" fall in case rates nationally, there remain concerns over incidence levels in north Wales.

Dr Chris Williams, from Public Health Wales, said: "Although the data currently shows that on an all-Wales level the numbers of cases are reducing and that the incidence is now below 130 cases per 100,000 population, the rates in some areas – particularly in north Wales – are still at more than double that.

Some school pupils will return to the classroom after the February half-term

"The pressure on our hospitals is still severe, so it is extremely important that everyone sticks to the rules and stays at home as much as possible."

This week Wales passed the half million mark for the number of people vaccinated.

At Friday's Welsh Government press briefing, deputy chief medical officer Dr Chris Jones said Wales was seeing a "steady and consistent fall" in the weekly number of new cases of coronavirus in Wales.

"We’ve fallen back from the peak of 650 cases per 100,000 people to around 127 cases today," he said.

"In fact, cases are now lower than at previous points when schools were fully open.

"This is really encouraging, particularly given the presence of the new variant, and is the result of everyone’s efforts and sacrifices over the last seven weeks."

The Welsh Government also announced on Friday that pupils aged between three and seven would return to the classroom on February 22, after half-term.

Education Minister Kirsty Williams said there was "sufficient headroom" to allow a phased return to the classroom and that additional safety measures would be put in place for staff.