The latest Covid figures in Wales as new variants spread in UK and ‘Eras Tour hangover’ trends

Covid has been back in the news in recent weeks with new variants reported and a number of hospitals in England asking those with symptoms not to visit. Cases are rising of the FLiRT and LB.1 variants, which have similar symptoms to previous strains, and in some cases similar to hayfever ailments.

Many have got together for festivals like Glastonbury and pubs in England have been packed as people watch Euro 2024 in Germany. The ‘Eras Tour hangover’ has also been trending - with people posting about feeling unwell after sell-out Taylor Swift concerts around the UK.

Health experts say this could be a mix of Covid as well as other respiratory conditions - or just dehydration and exhaustion after the concerts.

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Welsh Government has published the latest Wales figures from the Weekly Surveillance Report. This shows that the number of COVID-19 infections have slightly increased in the most recent week, particularly in hospital settings.

As of July 7 there were 523 people currently in hospital who have had a positive COVID-19 test - up from 269 a month ago on June 7 and from 462 a week ago. Of these 324 are listed as hospital acquired - meaning they tested positive for Covid more than seven days after admission.

A vast majority (448) of those in hospital with Covid are aged over 60.

Across Wales 16 of these patients were in ICU - compared with 3 a month ago.

The all-Wales incidence as estimated using PCR episodes remains at low levels despite increasing in recent weeks. The number of deaths from any cause has increased slightly in the latest reported data available from ONS and remains above the five-year average.

In the last four reporting weeks, V-23DEC-01 (Omicron, JN.1) is the most dominant variant in Wales, accounting for 98% of all sequenced cases.

There were two new respiratory 'incidents' reported in week 26 2024 recorded. Of the respiratory incidents, one was in a residential home and one in another setting.

The report says the average numbers of acute respiratory and COVID-confirmed incidents in care homes(recorded on Tarian) have been relatively stable when looking at these by the date of onset of the first case.

In week 26, GP consultations for any Acute Respiratory Infection (ARI) have decreased and consultations for suspected COVID have remained stable at very low levels. The overall number of ambulance calls related to COVID-19 has slightly decreased in week 26 and the proportion of incidents remains stable.

The latest available Swansea University Mid Term Projections said ICU admissions in July and August are projected to remain at low levels as are deaths caused by COVID-19.

Paul Hunter, a professor of medicine at the University of East Anglia, said that Covid “will never be as serious as it once was”. However, he did caution that the elderly and vulnerable remain at heightened risk.

Professor Hunter added: “If you are under 40 the risk of death is minuscule. If you are over 75 the risk is real and significant.”

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