Eighteen more people have died with coronavirus in Wales, according to latest figures from Public Health Wales.
The data, published on Monday, January 17, and covering a 48-hour period up to 9am on January 16, shows 3,975 new positive cases to bring the total to 744,717.
The overall number of people who have died within 28 days of testing positive in Wales has now reached 6,707.
The latest infection rate, based on the seven days up to January 12 is 650.2 cases for every 100,000 people – which is down substantially the 1,109.1 recorded on Sunday.
However, sharp daily drops are expected as the change to testing rules filters through into the weekly infection rate. Anyone who has a positive lateral flow test, but does not have symptoms, will no longer need to take a PCR test to confirm they have Covid which will impact testing figures.
The highest infection rate in each Welsh local authority for the seven days between January 6 and January 12 was Neath Port Talbot with 785 cases per 100,000 followed by Wrexham with 751 and Swansea with 746.6.
Cardiff recorded the most positive cases over the latest 48-hour period with 501, followed by Swansea with 330, Carmarthenshire with 325, RCT with 303, Newport with 289 and Neath Port Talbot with 212.
Meanwhile, Caerphilly had 199 new cases, Wrexham had 188, Bridgend had 178, Conwy had 157, Blaenau Gwent had 132, Flintshire had 130, Vale of Glamorgan had 124, Monmouthshire had 109, and Pembrokeshire had 100.
The lowest number of cases were found in Denbighshire with 97, Merthyr Tydfil with 96, Powys with 95, Gwynedd with 89, Torfaen with 88 Anglesey with 66, and Ceredigion with 51.
The percentage of tests coming back positive is also falling. In the seven days to January 12, a total of 37% of tests across Wales gave a positive result, down from 41.4% reported on Sunday.
The highest positivity rates were in Anglesey (42.2%), Swansea (40.6%), and Neath Port Talbot (40.1%).
As of January 14 there were 1,119 people in general and acute hospital beds with coronavirus (confirmed, suspected, and recovering), a drop on the 1,158 on January 13. Within that data, the number of confirmed Covid patients has fallen from 886 on January 13 to 820 on January 14.
There were 34 people in ventilated intensive care beds with confirmed Covid-19 on January 14. 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 2,499,752 people have received one dose of the coronavirus vaccine and 2,334,096 have been given both doses. Meanwhile, 1,765,080 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 12
Aneurin Bevan University Health Board
Blaenau Gwent: 722.9 (down from 1,206.7)
Newport: 737 (down from 1,179.2)
Caerphilly: 688.1 (down from 1,197.3)
Torfaen: 609.8 (down from 1,014.3)
Monmouthshire: 508.5 (down from 748.5)
Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board
Conwy: 656.1 (down from 1,190.2)
Anglesey: 613.9 (down from 1,113.6)
Gwynedd: 496.1 (down from 880.7)
Denbighshire: 574.7 (down from 1,030.3)
Flintshire: 573.4 (down from 1,120.4)
Wrexham: 751 (down from 1,276.9)
Cardiff and Vale University Health Board
Cardiff: 671.6 (down from 1,084.8)
Vale of Glamorgan: 536.7 (down from 943.2)
Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board
Merthyr Tydfil: 673 (down from 1,150.4)
Rhondda Cynon Taf: 688 (down from 1,197.9)
Bridgend: 673.2 (down from 1,180.6)
Hywel Dda University Health Board
Carmarthenshire: 704 (down from 1,184.5)
Pembrokeshire: 482.4 (down from 863.9)
Ceredigion: 414.1 (down from 683.7)
Powys Teaching Health Board
Powys: 540.6 (down from 976.3)
Swansea Bay University Health Board
Neath Port Talbot: 785 (down from 1,331.3)
Swansea: 746.6 (down from 1,185.9)
Wales total: 650.2 (down from 1,109.1 )
The headlines from the latest ONS infection survey published at 2pm on Wednesday, January 12, suggest that the percentage of people testing positive for Covid had increased slightly between December 28 and January 3, after a rapid rise in the run-up to Christmas.
It estimates 169,100 people in Wales, equivalent to one in 20, had Covid in the first week of January, the same percentage as Scotland and Northern Ireland. It estimates one in 15 in England had Covid that week.
On Saturday, January 15 Wales began the return to alert level zero measures, as part of a two-week plan set out by the First Minister.
Mark Drakeford announced that the measures will be phased in starting with the number of people who can be present at an outdoor event rising from 50 to 500 on January 15.
The next phase of lifted restrictions is timetabled for January 21, where crowds will be able to return to large sporting events. This will be followed by nightclubs reopening on January 28 and the rule of six and table service in hospitality being scrapped.
Meanwhile from January 28, working from home will remain "important" and part of the Welsh Government guidance but will no longer be a legal requirement.
The Welsh Government warned that the full move to alert level zero will be dependent on the public health situation continuing to improve.
First Minister Mark Drakeford said: "I want to thank everyone for following the rules we have had in place since Boxing Day to help keep Wales safe while the fast-moving Omicron variant has surged through our communities.
"I also want to thank everyone involved in our vaccination programme for the enormous efforts to give almost a third of the population a booster since the start of December – this has been vital in increasing our protection against Omicron.
"The actions we have taken together have helped us to weather the Omicron storm. The latest data suggests some positive signs that the peak may have passed. We can now look more confidently to the future and plan to start gradually removing the alert level two restrictions, starting with the outdoors measures.
"But the pandemic is not over. We will closely monitor the public health situation – this is a fast-moving and volatile variant which could change suddenly. I urge everyone to continue to follow the rules and have your vaccines to keep Wales safe."
If conditions allow, the alert level two restrictions will be removed in a phased approach.
From Friday, January 21 Wales would move to alert level zero for all outdoor activities. This means there will be no limits on the number of people who can take part in outdoor activities:
- Crowds will be able to return to outdoor sporting events;
- Outdoor hospitality would be able to operate without additional reasonable measures;
- The Covid Pass will be required for entry to larger outdoor events.
If the downward trend continues, from Friday, January 28 Wales would move to alert level zero for all indoor activities:
- Nightclubs will be able to re-open;
- Working from home would remain important but it would no longer be a legal requirement;
- Businesses, employers and other organisations must undertake a specific coronavirus risk assessment and take reasonable measures to minimise the spread of coronavirus;
- The Covid Pass will be required for entry to nightclubs, events, cinemas, concert halls and theatres;
- The rule of six, table service and two-metre physical distancing no longer required in hospitality.
The self-isolation rules for all those who test positive for Covid and the face covering rules for most public indoor places will remain in force after January 28.
The three-weekly cycle would be re-introduced from February 10, when the Welsh Government will review all remaining measures at alert level zero.
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