Covid hospital admissions hit record low in Wales

Covid admissions to hospitals in Wales have hit record low levels.

On Sunday, admissions to hospitals of confirmed and suspected Covid-19 cases were running at a daily seven-day average of 18 - this is the lowest yet recorded in the pandemic.

Fourteen confirmed and suspected Covid patients were admitted on Sunday across Wales, latest NHS Wales figures show.

Covid admissions now make up 1.8% of all hospital admissions.

There were no Covid admissions in Swansea Bay hospitals over the weekend.

There were none on three days in the last week in Cwm Taf Morgannwg health board.

It comes as separate figures show more than half of people in Wales have now had a first dose of a Covid vaccine.

Inroads are being made into younger age groups, with nearly 44% of people in their 40s now having had a first dose.

More than half of people in their 70s have now had both doses.

Meanwhile, case rates remain low across Wales, with the nation's average - 17.5 cases per 100,000 - the lowest since 3 September.

On 11 April, there were 480 Covid patients in hospital beds and the daily average (508) is the lowest since 2 October.

These include a large proportion of recovering patients who, although no longer testing positive for Covid, are being treated for complications or other conditions, are in rehab, or are waiting for suitable accommodation or community support.

When we look at "active" Covid cases in hospital beds, these have seen a 70% drop in a month.

There were 114 confirmed or suspected Covid cases in hospital on Sunday.

This is a 94% drop from the record levels we saw in late December.

A total of 16 people were being treated on invasive ventilated beds, including in critical care, for confirmed or suspected coronavirus on 11 April, about the same as a week ago. This is 89% fewer Covid patients than in mid-January and similar to what we've been seeing since late March.

Non-Covid cases outnumber Covid patients in critical care by eight to one.