Eleven more people have died with coronavirus in Wales, according to latest figures from Public Health Wales.
The data, published on Friday, January 21, and covering a 24-hour period up to 9am on January 20, shows 2,427 new positive cases to bring the total to 753,899.
The overall number of people who have died within 28 days of testing positive in Wales has now reached 6,763.
Data published on lateral flow tests, which is updated weekly in Wales, shows that there has been another slight increase in the the number of positive tests. There were a total of 15,393 positive tests out of 383,021 tests carried out and registered.
The area with the highest incidence rate was Swansea Bay UHB, and the under 20 age group were the most likely to test positive of all the age groups using LFTs.
The latest infection rate based on PCR tests, for the seven days up to January 16, now stands at 490.9 cases for every 100,000 people – down on the 500.8 recorded on Thursday. However these figures don't include people testing positive through LFT tests.
The highest infection rate in each Welsh local authority for the seven days between January 10 and January 16 was Newport with 660.1 cases per 100,000 followed by Blaenau Gwent with 598.3 and Neath Port Talbot with 594.5.
Cardiff recorded the most positive cases over the latest 24-hour period with 285 followed by Swansea with 246, Carmarthenshire with 186, Caerphilly with 177, Newport with 165, RCT with 164, and Neath Port Talbot with 138.
Meanwhile Bridgend had 117 new cases, Wrexham had 103, Vale of Glamorgan had 85, Monmouthshire and Flintshire both had 79, Pembrokeshire had 75, Powys had 67 and Blaenau Gwent had 61.
The lowest number of cases were found in Conwy with 60, Torfaen with 55, Gwynedd with 52, Denbighshire with 50, Anglesey with 45, Merthyr Tydfil with 35, and Ceredigion with 26.
The percentage of tests coming back positive is also falling. In the seven days to January 16 a total of 34.7% of tests across Wales gave a positive result, down from 34.8% reported on Thursday.
The highest positivity rates were in Newport (39.4%) Cardiff (39.2%), and Wrexham and Swansea (both 38%).
As of January 20 there were 998 people in general and acute hospital beds with coronavirus (confirmed, suspected, and recovering), a drop on the 1,012 on January 19. Within that data the number of confirmed Covid patients has fallen from 615 on January 19 to 599 on January 20.
There were 27 people in ventilated intensive care beds with confirmed Covid-19 on January 19. This has now fallen back over several days from an Omicron wave peak of 39 people with confirmed Covid in ventilated intensive care beds on January 5.
A total of 2,504,081 people have received one dose of the coronavirus vaccine and 2,349,478 have been given two doses. Meanwhile 1,800,848 people have been given their booster jabs in Wales. The Welsh Government has confirmed that all eligible adults were offered one by the end of December.
Infection rate for every 100,000 people in each area for the seven days up to January 16
Aneurin Bevan University Health Board
Blaenau Gwent: 598.3 (up from 585.4)
Newport: 660.1 (up from 629.1)
Caerphilly: 520.8 (up from 519.1)
Torfaen: 474.7 (down from 483.2)
Monmouthshire: 447.2 (down from 452.5)
Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board
Conwy: 481.2 (down from 503.4)
Anglesey: 401.2 (down from 434)
Gwynedd: 281 (down from 332.4)
Denbighshire: 423.2 (down from 436.8)
Flintshire: 336.3 (down from 354.3)
Wrexham: 578.1 (down from 591.4)
Cardiff and Vale University Health Board
Cardiff: 547.8 (down from 550.6)
Vale of Glamorgan: 395.2 (up from 390)
Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board
Merthyr Tydfil: 547 (up from 543.7)
Rhondda Cynon Taf: 490.3 (down from 505.7)
Bridgend: 498.5 (down from 503.2)
Hywel Dda University Health Board
Carmarthenshire: 593.8 (down from 594.4)
Pembrokeshire: 369.6 (up from 319.1)
Ceredigion: 297.1 (down from 319.1)
Powys Teaching Health Board
Powys: 330 (down from 378.3)
Swansea Bay University Health Board
Neath Port Talbot: 594.5 (down from 616.8)
Swansea: 552.2 (down from 565.2)
Wales total: 490.9 (down from 500.8 )
The latest figures for the Office for National Statistics to January 12 show that the rate Covid is spreading in Wales is clearly falling. This is based on population sampling and is not affected by changes to testing rules.
In Wales almost one in 25 people had Covid in Wales in the last week – lower than in England, Scotland, or Northern Ireland. The ONS estimated that 169,100 people in Wales, equivalent to one in 20, had Covid in the previous week.
The headlines indicate the percentage of people testing positive for Covid increased rapidly in the run-up to Christmas but slowed up during the first week of January and is now dropping dramatically.
First Minister Mark Drakeford confirmed on Thursday that Wales will move to alert level zero on January 28 unless the public health situation changes for the worse.
The latest public health data suggests Wales has passed the peak of the Omicron wave and coronavirus cases are falling back to levels similar to those seen earlier in the autumn.
From Friday, January 21, Wales will move to alert level zero for all outdoor activities. This means:
- Crowds will be able to return to outdoor sporting events.
- There will be no limits on the number of people who can take part in outdoor activities and events.
- Outdoor hospitality will be able to operate without the additional measures required introduced in December, such as the rule of six and 2m social distancing
- The Covid Pass will continue to be required for entry to larger outdoor events attended by more than 4,000 people, if unseated, or 10,000 people when seated.
- The Covid Pass is required in all cinemas, theatres and concert halls which are currently open.
Mr Drakeford said: "The latest figures show we have passed the Omicron peak and we can continue to lift the alert level two protections as part of our careful and phased plan.
"We will lift the limits on the number of people who can gather for outdoor events. We remain cautiously confident the public health situation is heading in the right direction and next week we will be able to complete the move to alert level zero, unless the situation changes for the worse.
"We are in this position thanks to the efforts of everyone in Wales and our fantastic vaccination programme. It is important that everyone continues to follow the rules and the guidance to help keep themselves and their loved ones safe, including taking up the offer of a booster vaccine if they haven’t already done so."
On Friday, January 28, Wales will complete the move to alert level zero. This means:
- Nightclubs will re-open.
- Businesses, employers and other organisations must continue to undertake a specific coronavirus risk assessment and take reasonable measures to minimise the spread of coronavirus.
- The general requirement of 2m social distancing in all premises open to the public and workplaces will be removed.
- The rule of six will no longer apply to gatherings in regulated premises, such as hospitality, cinemas and theatres.
- Licensed premises will no longer need to only provide table service and collect contact details.
- Working from home will remain part of advice from the Welsh Government but it will no longer be a legal requirement.
The Covid pass will continue to be required to enter larger indoor events, nightclubs, cinemas, theatres and concert halls.
The next three-weekly review of the coronavirus regulations will be carried out by February 10 when the Welsh Government will review all the measures at alert level zero.
To get the latest WalesOnline newsletters emailed to you directly for free click here.
