Biggest jump in daily Covid cases in Wales since the start of the pandemic

There have been 946 new cases of coronavirus announced in Wales by Public Health Wales today, the highest daily increase of the pandemic.

There were 10 new deaths with coronavirus, taking the total to 1,688. The number of cases overall has risen by 946 to 32,316.

The 10 deaths put Wales back at the level seen on 25 March when the first peak of Covid-19 began its surge. The numbers of daily deaths peaked at 43 on 13 April.

Eight of the 10 new deaths of people with coronavirus have happened in the Cwm Taf health board area, which has been dealing with an outbreak in hospitals in recent weeks which has seen at least 30 people die.

The other two deaths were in Cardiff and Swansea.

‘Fag packet’

Meanwhile, opposition politicians have called for a ‘circuit breaker’ lockdown to try and quell the rise in the number of cases.

Plaid Cymru Leader Adam Price called on the Welsh Government to urgently introduce a “circuit-breaker” to provide time to get the test and trace system “in order.”

Adam Price warned that without action the NHS would soon be “overwhelmed” and that it would be the people of Wales who would pay the price for the Government’s failure to “reset the approach”.

“The current picture in Wales is bleak. The number of cases is rising consistently throughout Wales as more and more patients are being admitted to hospital with the virus,” he said.

“Unless we take action our NHS could be overwhelmed and unable to contend with a second wave which may well be worse than the first.”

Health Minister Vaughan Gething said a circuit breaker lockdown was being actively considered for Wales with a decision expected “over the coming few days”.

However Andrew RT Davies MS – the Shadow Health Minister – said the Welsh Government was making policy based on discredited “back of a fag packet” evidence.

“Pursuing such a controversial policy on ‘back of fag packet evidence’ is no way to run a government at any time, least of all during a pandemic and lockdowns that are crippling businesses and lives,” he said. 

“The First Minister must explain himself to the Welsh Parliament and the Welsh people, because the impact of his actions are having a dramatic and detrimental effect of thousands of lives here.”