Here are the latest coronavirus cases for North Wales as rising levels a cause of 'serious concern'

Data reported by Public Health Wales on January 12 shows that 314 new coronavirus cases were reported in North Wales.

Of which the highest was Wrexham with 140, Flintshire with 82, Gwynedd with 31, Denbighshire with 27, Conwy with 18 and Anglesey with 16.

Since recording began, Wrexham has reported a total of 8,416 positive cases compared to 6,664 in Flintshire, 3,182 in Denbighshire, 2,603 in Conwy, 2,029 in Gwynedd and 1,360 in Anglesey.

The Betsi Cadwaladr Health Board reported no further deaths, meaning the death total remains at 620.

Nationally, a total of 1,332 people tested positive for the virus and the seven-day case rate per 100,000 people currently stands at 404.

Sadly, a total of 16 new deaths were reported across the country, bringing the death toll to 3,997.

According to the Public Health Wales data, 91,239 people have received their first dose of the vaccine and 97 have received their second dose.

The Leader previously reported that the North Wales Health Board received almost 15,000 doses and are 'confident' they can meet timeline targets.

Dr Giri Shankar, Incident Director for the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak response at Public Health Wales, said: “The number of positive Coronavirus cases remains extremely high in Wales and is cause for serious concern.

“All of Wales remains in lockdown. We ask that the public adopts the same mindset for this lockdown as they did in March 2020. We understand that people are fatigued but with a more transmissible variant of coronavirus circulating across Wales it is vital that we all keep to the lockdown restrictions in place.

“This means stay at home. If exercising outdoors, please do this alone or with members of your household or support bubble and if possible, only once a day. Shop online but if you do need to visit essential retail do this alone. If you must leave home keep your distance, wash your hands regularly, and wear a face mask.

“Public Health Wales urges everyone to follow the rules, to avoid transmission of Coronavirus and to protect everyone in our communities, including the most vulnerable.”

“The roll-out of the Pfizer BioNTech and AstraZeneca Coronavirus vaccines continues in Wales with the the recently Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) approved Moderna vaccine to be incorporated into the programme soon.

“From Monday 11 January 2021, daily vaccination data will be published on the Public Health Wales dashboard. The headline summary will include daily cumulative numbers of individuals who have received a first and second vaccination dose. More detailed vaccination data including numbers by health board area will be updated on a weekly basis every Thursday. Public Health Wales is working closely with the Welsh Government as they deploy Coronavirus vaccinations through local health boards. Welsh Government is leading on the deployment of the vaccine in Wales.”

“Vaccinating the adult population of Wales, to protect people from severe disease, is a significant task, and the vaccine will take time to reach everyone. The effects of the vaccines may not be seen nationally for some time, and we must continue to follow the advice on keeping Wales safe.

“The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has issued a short statement outlining the case for optimising the existing vaccine programme within the UK to achieve maximum short term impact. The JCVI advises initially prioritising delivery of the first vaccine dose as this is highly likely to have a greater public health impact in the short term and reduce the number of preventable deaths from COVID-19.

“Given the data available, and evidence from the use of many other vaccines, Public Health Wales fully supports the JCVI advice to increase a maximum interval between the first and second doses of 12 weeks for both Pfizer BioNTech and AstraZeneca vaccines.

“Members of the public should not phone your GP, pharmacy or hospital asking when they will get a vaccine. When someone is in one of the groups eligible for the vaccine, they will be invited to attend a dedicated clinic which will have been set up to ensure patient safety and that of the healthcare professionals.

“Public Health Wales is working with UK partners to investigate and respond to the new variant of coronavirus identified in Wales. The new variant is easier to spread and the public should remain highly vigilant in measures to prevent transmission including maintaining social distancing, regularly handwashing and wearing of face coverings. Though the new variant can be transmitted more easily there is no evidence that it leads to more severe disease.

“Travellers who have been in or transited through the Republic of South Africa, Angola, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, Zambia and Zimbabwe in the last 10 days are no longer allowed into the UK. We advise anyone returning to Wales from these countries to regularly check gov.uk for the latest guidance and advice on self-isolating.

“If you or a member of your household develop a cough, fever or change in sense of taste or smell, you must self-isolate immediately and book a free Coronavirus test, either by calling 119 or by clicking here.

“If you are due to travel out of the UK, please be aware of the changing situation and keep an eye on the FCO website for up to date details.