Hospitalisations due to coronavirus in Gwent have fallen to their lowest level since September, data has revealed.
Between March 9 and March 15, there were an average of 86 patients in hospital in the Aneurin Bevan University Health Board area confirmed to have, or suspected to have, coronavirus or are recovering from the virus.
The data shows a sharp decrease in the number of Covid-related patients in the health board's hospitals in a single month period.
In the seven days to February 15, there were an average of 418 patients with Covid-related patients in Aneurin Bevan hospitals.
Hospitalisation rates are now as low as they were at the end of September 2020 when the Welsh Government were attempting to control the spread of the virus with differing local restrictions.
This month, hospitalisations fell to their lowest point on March 13 when 73 patients were being treated for Covid-19. On that day, Aneurin Bevan staff admitted 21 patients with coronavirus.
At its peak on December 29, the health board had 680 Covid-related patients within its hospitals.
Public Health Wales' daily update on Monday showed that the infection rate across Wales has now fallen to 39.1 cases per 100,000 of population based on the seven days up to March 10, a drop from the figure of 39.3 reported on Sunday and well below the key Welsh Government benchmark of 50.
Infection rates in counties within the Aneurin Bevan health board area now range from 16.9 per 100,000 people (Monmouthshire) to 50.8 per 100,000 people (Caerphilly).
Cases per 100,000 based on seven-day rolling average ( Aneurin Bevan University Health Board from March 4 to March 10 ):
Torfaen: 24.5 (up from 23.4)
Caerphilly: 50.8 (down from 53.6)
Newport: 40.7 (down from 42.0)
Monmouthshire: 16.9 (up from 15.9)
Blaenau Gwent: 42.9 (up from 40.1)
Speaking to WalesOnline at the end of February, ICU consultant at the Grange University Hospital, Cwmbran, Dr David Hepburn, said there is hope "on the horizon" but warned the Welsh public to remain vigilant of the virus.
He also said staff are still coming to terms with the intense pressure brought by a year working through the pandemic.
"Some of the pressure has come off because the activity has fallen," he said.
"We're at the end of pretty much a solid year of dealing with this and the only kind of lull period we had last year we moved hospitals and moved intensive care units as well.
"I think now people have slowed down, the adrenaline isn't flowing as fast and everybody's realising how fatigued they are and in some cases burnt out.
"We're still operational but I think that slight cooling off has given people time to reflect on where they are and everyone is realising they're knackered and we all need a good holiday and time to decompress."
