Covid cases caught in hospitals in Wales reach 10-month high

In the seven days up to Boxing Day, 129 hospital onset or probable hospital onset cases of coronavirus were recorded, with a further 41 of indeterminate origin.

This was more than double the previous week’s figure – 62 – and the highest number since the week up to February 21, where 174 hospital or probable hospital onset cases were recorded.

The number of hospital onset or probable hospital onset cases of coronavirus for Wales and Gwent. Source: Public Health Wales.

In Gwent, 17 cases of hospital onset coronavirus or probable hospital onset coronavirus were recorded – the highest number since 18 were recorded in the week up to September 12.

This was also a rise on the rest of December, which saw eight cases last week, six the week before that, and seven in the week up to December 5.

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Across the Aneurin Bevan University Health Board region, 6,155 cases were recorded in the week up to Boxing Day – 99 per cent of which have been recorded as community onset cases.

In three cases, it was unknown where coronavirus was caught in the community or in hospital.

Both Gwent and Wales saw a small rise in the number of patients who tested positive on or before admission to hospital.

The number of patients who tested positive on or before admission to hospital in Wales and Gwent. Source: Public Health Wales.

In the seven days leading to December 26, 78 patients tested positive for coronavirus either prior to or on admission in Gwent – up from 70 the previous week.

A total of 49 patients were admitted to hospitals in Gwent who were known to have tested positive for coronavirus, while a further 714 patients were tested upon entry to hospital, with 29 of these testing positive.

Across Wales, 35,485 cases were recorded in the week to Boxing Day.

Of these, 286 people either tested positive either prior to or on admission to hospital, a small rise on last week’s 271.