Covid case rates drop in Merthyr Tydfil and Anglesey while Cardiff sees virus spike

People relax on the beach in Barry Island as local travel restrictions were lifted Credit: PA

Some places in Wales have seen slight spikes in number of confirmed cases of coronavirus while numbers have dropped dramatically in recent weeks for Anglesey and Merthyr Tydfil.

Cardiff's case rate went from 30.8 per 100,000 people for the week ending March 28 to 36.5 the following week.

In Ceredigion, the case rate more than doubled over the same two-week period, but its numbers are still low after jumping from four cases to nine.

Anglesey and Merthyr Tydfil recently had the worst case rates of all Welsh local authority areas, but their numbers have decreased by around three-quarters each.

Two more people have died with Covid in Wales over the past 48 hour period while 126 new cases of the virus were also confirmed. Wales' overall seven-day case rate now stands at 24.8 people per 100,000 population.

Virus transmission has continued to fall across all Welsh local authority areas, excluding Cardiff and Ceredigion.

The most dramatic falls over the past two weeks can be seen in the data for Anglesey and Merthyr Tydfil.

The seven-day case rate in Merthyr Tydfil between March 22 and March 28 was 84.5. That has now dropped to below the Wales average and stands at 21.5. Similarly, on Anglesey the rate has gone down from 94.2 to 24.3.

Both areas had case rates above 100 in mid-March.

In Ceredigion, the cases rose from nine to four which is still the lowest in Wales Credit: PA

However the data shows a different trend in places like the capital.

While fluctuations in the numbers do happen each week, most areas have seen a consistent decrease in their case rates over the past few weeks.

It comes as the Welsh Government confirmed it had reached its target of offering everyone in its top nine priority groups a coronavirus vaccine.

Wales has begun easing some restrictions out of lockdown, with self-contained accommodation recently reopening and up to six people from two households can now meet in parks and gardens to socialise.

There will be a full return of face-to-face learning in schools and post-16 learners from 12 April as well as more non-essential shops reopening, providing cases remain low.

The ban on non-essential travel in or out of Wales will also be lifted on this date.

From 26 April, pubs, cafes and restaurants can resume outdoor services, with plans to allow indoor hospitality before the end of May in time for the Spring bank holiday.