Coronavirus cases at Wrexham hospital have doubled in a week from 40 to 80 – as two army testing centres opened up in the town amid fears of a virus spike.
Patients on wards where someone was found to be Covid positive are now being comprehensively screened as part of a ‘proactive’ approach to tackle the outbreak in the town in North Wales.
Meanwhile, locals are being urged to visit one of the two military testing centres even if they only have mild symptoms.
Patients on wards at Wrexham Maelor Hospital (pictured) where someone was found to be Covid positive are now being comprehensively screened as part of a ‘proactive’ approach
There has been a dramatic rise in Covid cases in Wrexham over recent days and an outbreak connected to the Rowan Food Factory site, where more than 300 people tested positive.
On Tuesday, the town saw the biggest rise in the number of Covid-19 cases recorded in North Wales in the previous 24 hours, with another eight people testing positive.
In total 1,286 people have now had the coronavirus locally since the start of the pandemic. In Wales the total number of deaths is 1,549 – 376 of which are in the north.
Gill Harris, executive director of nursing and midwifery at Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB), confirmed that there are between 70 and 80 confirmed coronavirus cases at Wrexham Maelor Hospital.
She added: ‘A small number of confirmed cases are also present at Deeside Community Hospital, Chirk Hospital, and Mold Community Hospital. Due to the risk of identifying patients, we will not be providing specific numbers for the three sites.
‘As part of a proactive approach at Wrexham Maelor Hospital, we have instigated universal screening for all patients on wards where we may or have had a COVID-19 positive patient.
‘This is in addition to screening every patient admitted to our hospitals.
All patients who test positive are appropriately isolated and all infection prevention and control measures are in place.
The news comes as two army-managed testing centres open in Wrexham today with anybody urged to get a test, even if they have mild symptoms.
There has been a dramatic rise in Covid cases in Wrexham over recent days, including at the hospital (pictured)
Ms Harris said: ‘Two mobile testing centres will be set up in Wrexham to help manage cases of COVID-19 in the community. They will be based at Caia Park Health Centre (Prince Charles Road) and Hightown Community Resource Centre (Fusilier Way).
‘People will be able to get a test without booking by attending either site between 9am and 6pm for the next few days.
‘We continue to ask patients, the public and staff who do visit the Maelor site to wear face coverings or masks in public areas in our hospitals.’
It came as Oldham overtook Leicester today to have the second highest Covid-19 infection rate in England. NHS statistics today showed Oldham recorded 54.3 coronavirus cases for every 100,000 people between July 20 and 26.
The weekly infection rate for the Greater Manchester town has risen by 191 per cent. In comparison, Leicester’s outbreak has dropped slightly to 53.2.
Only Blackburn with Darwen is currently being hit worse than Oldham, with the area recording 85.9 cases per 100,000 people in the past week. Two thirds of new Covid-19 cases in Oldham are among Pakistani and Bangladeshi communities, the council said.
Britain today announced 19 more coronavirus deaths in the preliminary toll — taking the official number of victims to 45,897.
Department of Health chiefs have yet to confirm the final daily figure, which is often much higher because it takes into account lab-confirmed fatalities in all settings.
The early count — which only includes a fraction of the Covid-19 deaths in England — is calculated by adding up updates declared by each of the home nations.
Britain today announced 19 more coronavirus deaths in the preliminary toll. Department of Health chiefs have yet to confirm the final daily figure, which is often much higher because it takes into account lab-confirmed fatalities in all settings
NHS England today posted 14 deaths in hospitals across the country and Wales reported five in all settings. No fatalities were recorded in any setting in Scotland or Northern Ireland.
Last Wednesday, health chiefs reported a total of 79 deaths across all UK settings.
Some 119 deaths were recorded yesterday, slightly up on the 110 posted last Tuesday. It means 65 people are succumbing to the illness each day, on average.
Cases are rising, however. The number of cases diagnosed yesterday has not been revealed, but the 581 reported yesterday were almost 30 per cent up on the week before.
Boris Johnson fears a second wave could start within a fortnight, according to a senior government source who told the Mail the Prime Minister was ‘extremely concerned’ by outbreaks ‘bubbling up’ both at home and across Europe.
But ministers are being told by leading scientists not to panic yet, with one scientist saying the spike ‘was to be expected’ because of lockdown being eased earlier this month, when millions of Britons flocked to pubs to celebrate ‘Super Saturday’ and enjoy their first taste of freedom in 15 weeks.