First Minister: “The peak in North Wales, we might just be reaching it now”

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This article is old - Published: Monday, May 18th, 2020

The First Minister has explained today that the peak of coronavirus elsewhere in Wales has ‘clearly passed’, however said ‘the peak in North Wales, we might just be reaching it now”.

Today we used one of our two regular questions at the daily Welsh Government briefing to ask about hotspots around Wales, and if North Wales was more affected currently than South Wales.

Previously Welsh Government have referenced specific geographic areas as ‘hotspots’, and specifically asked people to download and use the coronavirus tracker app on JoinZoe.com. The First Minister has previously said that app will help Wales ‘anticipate potential COVID hot spots‘.

We noted that has recently indicated some hot spots in North Wales, and asked the First Minister as of today, are there any places he would again refer to as hotspots in Wales, and in his view is North Wales currently more affected than South Wales?

The First Minister replied, “The coronavirus impact in Wales started in the south east corner, and the virus has spread westwards and northwards.”

“That does mean that peaks in some parts of Wales are following at a different time to peaks in others.”

“The peak in south east wales we believe have quite clearly passed.”

“The peak in North Wales, we might just be reaching it now”.

“You are quite right to say the disease has different patterns in different parts of Wales.

“And in North Wales, whereas the peak will be lower than it was in south east Wales as there is simply less coronavirus in circulation, it may be that it is reaching its peak in North Wales now, and then we will expect to see the same pattern of decline as we have already seen in those parts of Wales where the virus was experienced first.”

You can view the full briefing today along with the Q&A on the below view: