Household mixing 'driving up' coronavirus rates as cases rise on Anglesey and Merthyr Tydfil

  • Video report by ITV Wales journalist Ian Lang

There are concerns over a spike in coronavirus cases in some areas of Wales after latest figures show cases are on the rise.

The national seven day average for Wales currently stands at 43, but on Anglesey and Merthyr Tydfil the case rate per 100,000 are much higher.

For the rolling seven day period between 8 March and 14 March, Merthyr Tydfil had the highest in Wales at 147.5, with Anglesey close behind on 127.1.

Over those seven days 764 people on Anglesey were tested for coronavirus.

Of these, 11% came back with a positive result, the highest proportion of positive tests in Wales.

First Minister Mark Drakeford said both areas are being closely monitored and blamed ''household and social mixing'' for a rise in Covid cases.

The rate of positive Covid cases on Anglesey has almost doubled since the end of February Credit: PA

He also said there were concerns of a reluctance in these areas to help contact tracing teams identify cases.

Merthyr Tydfil was also the worst affected area in Wales in December when there were more than 1,000 cases per 100,000 of the population.

Speaking at Friday's coronavirus briefing, he said he would not rule out introducing restrictions in the affected areas.

He said, ''We are talking about actions that we can take together to address the circumstances that they are facing.

''There are more things we can do immediately, further testing and mobilising the resources we can to help the council. That is the plan that we are embarked upon at this point.''

In a tweet on Friday, Merthyr Tydfil Council urged people to "stick to the rules" as it said some people are "not adhering to the laws around isolation."

Dr David Williams, a GP in Holyhead, said the surge in cases on Anglesey are centred on the town.

He said: ''Unfortunately in the last 10 days or so there's been a surge in cases in the Holyhead area.

''It's very unfortunate that at this point this should happen so all I can say is continue to come for your vaccines if you are invited.

''The second and more important thing is that we all follow the guidelines about hand washing and face covering, social distancing and avoiding mixing in households.

''We've got an outbreak and we all have to be more careful, all of us.''

It comes as Mr Drakeford announced further measures to ease lockdown in Wales, with the opening of non essential retail beginning next week.

On Friday, Public Health Wales confirmed a further 201 cases of coronavirus in Wales, taking the total number of confirmed cases to 207,438.

Public Health Wales reported nine further deaths, taking the total in the country since the start of the pandemic to 5,476.