A GROUP of Senedd Members - including one from Gwent - were accused of being "Covid deniers" during a fiery coronavirus debate.

South Wales East MS David Rowlands, of the Independent Alliance for Reform (IAR) group, tabled a motion criticising the Welsh Government's lockdown approach.

He said he and the IAR "acknowledge that Covid-19 is a dangerous disease" but claimed it was "no more dangerous" than other respiratory tract infections, such as the flu.

The head of the NHS Federation in Wales told the Argus such claims could "lead to the current restrictions being undermined," worsening an already "precarious" situation in hospitals.

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Railing in the Senedd against "the draconian measures the population is being subjected to," Mr Rowlands disputed the accuracy of official coronavirus death toll figures.

Since the start of the pandemic, Public Health Wales figures show 4,392 people across Wales have died after testing positive for Covid-19, including 824 in Gwent.

Mr Rowlands claimed other official statistics showed "there is no real pandemic, and that the undue harm lockdowns are having on both business and people's overall health is totally disproportionate to the threat of Covid-19."

The IAR member's comments drew an angry response from health minister Vaughan Gething, who said he disagreed with "fake news and reality denial".

Mr Gething said excess deaths in Wales were 16 per cent higher than in the previous five years, and in England the figure was 20 per cent.

"We have the highest excess death rates across the UK since the Second World War," he added. "You cannot underplay the crisis we are facing, the harm that is being done, and claim to be responsible."

Turning to Mr Rowlands' criticism of the lockdown policy, the minister said: "This government will continue to take all necessary measures to protect lives and prevent the spread of Covid."

Plaid Cymru MS Rhun ap Iorwerth also condemned the downplaying of the pandemic, saying "we have a party of Covid deniers here in the Senedd".

Mark Reckless, of the Abolish the Welsh Assembly Party, said he agreed with some of the IAR's criticism of the lockdown policy, but rejected claims the pandemic wasn't real.

"I think that's wrong, and, if you look at the excess deaths for the past year, they're very significant," he said.

The Argus put Mr Rowlands' claims to Darren Hughes, the head of the Welsh NHS Confederation.

Mr Hughes said "the Covid emergency is very real," with staff reporting current pressures on the NHS as "the worst they have ever seen".

The NHS is currently working at 150 per cent of its normal critical-care capacity, he added.

“We cannot emphasise enough that we are currently in a very precarious position," Mr Hughes said. "While the number of new cases reported per day is going down in Wales, if people feel coronavirus is being overblown, it could lead to the current restrictions being undermined.

“We think this could then lead to a rising number of cases, hospitalisations and tragically deaths. It would also damage the morale of NHS staff who have been battling the pandemic for such a long time.

“With the roll-out of the vaccination programme and some hope of a brighter future, we would encourage everyone in Wales to stick with us for just a little while longer. Please continue to help us to help you and your communities come through this difficult time.”