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The Welsh Minister of Health has warned that Wales is on track to see a large spike in coronavirus deaths this winter.
Vaughan Gething spoke at the Welsh Government press conference on the coronavirus on Monday 16 November.
He said “there was a big spike in the first wave and it looks like we are now heading for another big spike this winter.”
“This underscores why we introduced the firewall,” he said.
“In the first two weeks of November, Public Health Wales recorded more than 250 deaths from coronavirus.
“This is a very sobering number. But of course these are not just numbers, they are people leaving lives and loved ones. There will be over 250 families across Wales who are mourning their loss.”
“I hope these figures help explain why we are taking the coronavirus so seriously and why we, as governments around the world, are taking steps to protect people’s health.”
He also spoke about the Welsh Government’s thinking around Christmas, warning that “whatever happens with Christmas this year will not be normal.”
He said officials were still analyzing the evidence to see what we can do about contact with family members over Christmas, but cautioned that what was possible depended on the pattern of the virus in the coming weeks.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Boris Johnson isolates himself after coming into contact with a MP who has since tested positive for coronavirus.
He posted a video on social media Monday morning that read, “Hi friends, our NHS Test & Trace program instructed me to isolate myself for two weeks, after being in contact with someone with Covid-19.
“I am in good health and have no symptoms, and will continue to lead our response to the virus and our plans for #BuildBackBetter.”
The UK’s daily coronavirus testing capacity will double with the opening of two new “megalabs” in early 2021, the Government announced.
The two labs, one in Leamington Spa and one in Scotland, together will be able to process up to 600,000 samples a day when operating at full capacity, according to the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC).
The UK will be the first country to conduct end-stage trials of a coronavirus vaccine being developed by a company owned by Johnson and Johnson, it has been announced.
The phase three trial of the pharmaceutical company Janssen’s vaccine begins Monday and will be the first of its two-dose study.
The jab has already undergone phase one and two trials, and interim analysis from the single dose study suggests that the Covid-19 candidate vaccine induces a robust immune response and is generally well tolerated.
For the two-dose study, the researchers aim to recruit around 6,000 UK participants, out of a total of 30,000 people around the world, at 17 sites across the country, including one in Cardiff.
We will bring you the latest updates here during the day.
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