Covid cases in schools have plunged by almost half in Wales this week. In the six days to February 3 a total 1,665 cases were confirmed among staff and pupils compared with 3,274 the week before.
The data released by Public Health Wales on February 4 showed schools Covid cases fell across all local health authority board areas and nearly all councils. Only one council, Gwynedd, saw a tiny rise of two cases from 33 to 35.
A vast majority of cases are in primary schools with 1,053 compared to 470 in secondary schools and 142 in "other" which includes special schools and pupil referral units. Even so cases halved this week in primaries.
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In Wales’ largest local authority, Cardiff, schools cases fell by 250 and in Swansea it fell by 135.
The highest number of cases by local health authority area was in Aneurin Bevan with 369, but that board also recorded the sharpest drop in numbers.
The data comes as children across Wales are being sent home from schools to learn owing to Covid related staff shortages.
The Welsh Government’s next Covid restrictions review is next week and Education Minister Jeremy Miles and First Minister Mark Drakeford have already said any easing of restrictions after half term will be gradual. Masks for staff and secondary school pupils are still requested as are twice or three times a week testing.
Since September there have now been 81,783 reports of new Covid cases across 1,544 schools; 18,876 cases in staff and 62,907 in pupils. From a total of 1,575 schools across Wales, this represents 98 % of schools that have had at least one case. A total of 24 schools have had only 1 case.
Publishing the figures Public Health Wales said they were subject to change and cases in schools did not mean infection took place there.
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