Wales' infection rate has risen again the day after the country set a new record for the number of positive Covid-19 cases reported in a single day.
The most recent figures from Public Health Wales show 3,292 new cases have been reported and 10 more people have died. This compares to the 4,662 new cases reported yesterday.
The data confirmed that the total number of deaths within 28 days of a positive Covid test had now risen to 6,535.
The figures, which cover a 24-hour period up to 9am on December 22, bring the total number of cases since the pandemic began to 570,288.
Read more: 'We demand answers' - pubs and restaurants react to news rule of six is returning in Wales
The latest seven-day infection rate across Wales, based on the seven days up to December 18, has risen again to 633 cases per 100,000 population - just four days ago on Sunday the figure stood at 501.3.
The local authority with the highest infection rate in Wales is Anglesey, followed by Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan.
The test positivity rate across Wales is at 19.7%, up from the 19.2% reported on Wednesday.
The areas of the country recording the highest numbers of new Covid cases in the latest 24-hour period are Cardiff with 469, followed by Swansea with 319, Rhondda Cynon Taf with 183, Bridgend with 177, Flintshire with 164, Caerphilly with 162, Wrexham with 152 and Newport and Neath Port Talbot with 151 apiece.
Elsewhere, Conwy had 132 new cases, Vale of Glamorgan had 130, Powys had 122, Gwynedd had 114, Denbighshire had 105, Monmouthshire had 97, Torfaen had 93, Carmarthenshire had 87 and Pembrokeshire had 81.
Counties in Wales which recorded the fewest new cases were Merthyr Tydfil with 67, Blaenau Gwent with 46, Ceredigion with 45 and Anglesey with 43.
As of December 22, there were 444 people in general and acute hospital beds with coronavirus (confirmed, suspected, and recovering), a rise on the 436 last reported the day before.
There were 31 people in ventilated intensive care beds with Covid-19 on December 20, two more than on December 21.
In terms of vaccinations, figures show that 2,485,837 people had received one dose of the coronavirus vaccine and 2,294,701 had been given both doses. Meanwhile, 1,452,728 people have been given their booster jabs in Wales. The Welsh Government wants all eligible adults to be offered one by the end of December.
Uptake of the first vaccine dose by priority group (according to PHW):
- Severely immunosuppressed: 99.2%
- Care home residents: 98.2%
- Care home workers: 94.7%
- 80 years and older: 96.2%
- Healthcare workers: 97.3%
- Social care workers: 45,410
- 75-79 years: 97%
- 70-74 years: 96.5%
- Clinically extremely vulnerable 16-69 years: 95.5%
- 65-69 years: 95.3%
- Clinical risk groups 12-64 years: 90.4%
- 60-64 years: 93.7%
- 55-59 years: 92%
- 50-54 years: 90.2%
- 40-49 years: 85.5%
- 30-39 years: 79.5%
- 18-29 years: 79.2%
- 16-17 years: 77.6%
- 12-15 years: 56.7%
Uptake of the second vaccine dose by priority group (according to PHW):
-
Severely immunosuppressed: 88.8%
- Care home residents: 97.2%
- Care home workers: 92.5%
- 80 years and older: 95.5%
- Healthcare workers: 96%
- Social care workers: 45,854
- 75-79 years: 96.5%
- 70-74 years: 95.9%
- Clinically extremely vulnerable 16-69 years: 94.1%
- 65-69 years: 94.5%
- Clinical risk groups 12-64 years: 87.1%
- 60-64 years: 92.6%
- 55-59 years: 90.7%
- 50-54 years: 88.6%
- 40-49 years: 83%
- 30-39 years: 75.2%
- 18-29 years: 72.6%
- 16-17 years: 53.7%
- 12-15 years: 4.2%
Uptake of booster vaccines (according to PHW):
- Care home residents: 86.5%
- Care home workers: 71.2%
- 80 years and older: 85.6%
- Healthcare workers: 81.3%
- Social care workers: 37,723
- 75-79 years: 88.1%
- 70-74 years: 87.9%
- Clinically extremely vulnerable 16-69 years: 52.1%
- 65-69 years: 85.3%
- Clinical risk groups 12-64 years: 64.7%
- 60-64 years: 78.3%
- 55-59 years: 71.6%
- 50-54 years: 64.4%
- 40-49 years: 47%
- 30-39 years: 28.1%
- 18-29 years: 19.6%
- 16-17 years: 5.8%
Infection rate for every 100,000 people in each area for the seven days up to December 18:
Aneurin Bevan University Health Board
Blaenau Gwent: 503.9 (up from 465.2)
Newport: 644.6 (up from 604.5)
Caerphilly: 567.7 (up from 549.5)
Torfaen: 605.6 (up from 586.4)
Monmouthshire: 676.6(up from 668.1)
Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board
Conwy: 541.8 (up from 535)
Anglesey: 856.6 (up from 830.9)
Gwynedd: 575.6 (up from 574.8)
Denbighshire: 676.1 (up from 648.9)
Flintshire: 699.6 (up from 695.7)
Wrexham: 618.6 (up from 617.1)
Cardiff and Vale University Health Board
Cardiff: 823.1 (up from 748.2)
Vale of Glamorgan: 738.1 (up from 718.6)
Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board
Merthyr Tydfil: 621.6 (up from 606.7)
Rhondda Cynon Taf: 610.9 (up from from 600.2)
Bridgend: 607.3 (up from 584.8)
Hywel Dda University Health Board
Carmarthenshire: 470.9 (up from 451.3)
Pembrokeshire: 537.3 (down from 539.7)
Ceredigion: 434.7 (up from 420.9)
Powys Teaching Health Board
Powys: 494.6 (down from 498.4)
Swansea Bay University Health Board
Neath Port Talbot: 581.2 (up from 551.2)
Swansea: 656.7 (up from 627.5)
Wales total: 633 (up from 609.7 )
The regulations bring back tighter measures for hospitality businesses, including licensed premises, and in cinemas and theatres when they re-open after the festive period.
From Boxing Day, the alert level two measures will mean:
-
A general requirement of 2m social distancing in all premises open to the public and workplaces, where reasonable.
-
The rule of six will apply to gatherings in regulated premises, such as hospitality, cinemas and theatres.
-
All licensed premises will need to take additional measures to protect customers and staff, including table service and collecting contact details.
-
Face coverings will be required in hospitality settings at all times apart from when seated.
-
Large events will not be allowed indoors or outdoors. The maximum number of people who can gather at an indoor event will be 30 and 50 outdoors.
-
There will be an exception for team sports, up to 50 spectators will be able to gather, in addition to those taking part. There is also an exception for events involving children.
Last week new measures were announced for workplaces and retail – these will now come into force on Boxing Day. Nightclubs will also close on Boxing Day.
To get the latest WalesOnline newsletters e-mailed to you directly for free, click here.
