The number of people being treated in Welsh hospitals for coronavirus has increased dramatically as positive cases continue to surge.
The total number of people in general and acute beds being treated for the virus (confirmed, suspected, and recovered cases) has risen to 604 on December 29 from 444 a week earlier – a rise of 36%.
Of these 414 patients were being treated for confirmed coronavirus, 155 were recovering, and 35 were receiving treatment after being suspected of having the virus.
Read more: The staggering difference in Covid rates in every part of Wales now compared to one year ago
Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board had the most confirmed cases at 96 while Cardiff and the Vale had 77, Cwm Taf Morgannwg had 74, Swansea Bay had 62, Hywel Dda had 53, and Aneurin Bevan had 52. Powys and Velindre health boards had no patients.
There were 32 people in ventilated intensive care beds with Covid-19 on December 30, one more than on December 22.
The majority of these (10) were being treated by the Betsi Cadwaladr University Heath Board, seven were being treated in the Aneurin Bevan health board health board area, five were being treated in Cardiff and the Vale, and the figure in the Swansea Bay health board area was four. Hywel Dda and Cwm Taf Morgannwg each had three patients in ventilated intensive care beds.
The Covid-19 infection rate in Wales continues to spike with more than 21,000 new cases of the virus recorded. On Thursday the latest data from Public Health Wales, covering the 48-hour period up to 9am on December 29, showed 21,051 new cases bringing the total in Wales since the pandemic began to 621,732.
The total number of deaths within 28 days of a positive Covid test has now risen to 6,656 in Wales with a further three fatalities since the last data was released. The figures relating to deaths covers the 24-hour period up to 9am on December 28.
The latest seven-day infection rate across Wales, based on the seven days up to December 25, has risen to 1,092.5 cases per 100,000 population – the highest figure at any stage of the pandemic.
The local authority with the highest infection rate in Wales for the seven days from December 19 to 25 is Cardiff, where the figure is 1,364.1, while Newport, Torfaen, Anglesey, Conwy, Denbighshire, Flintshire, Gwynedd, the Vale of Glamorgan, Bridgend, Merthyr Tydfil, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Ceredigion, and Swansea all have rates in excess of 1,000.
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