THE three counties in the Hywel Dda Health Board (UHB) area - Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire and Ceredigion - have seen coronavirus cases increase by 137 in a week, the lowest increase in months.

Today, March 1, is just one week short of a year to the day the first cases were confirmed in Pembrokeshire.

On March 8, 2020, two patients from county were confirmed to have Covid-19 by the chief medical officer for Wales, Dr Frank Atherton.

The first case in Wales was confirmed on February 28, 2020.

The total number of cases in Wales is now 203,818, with 5,343 deaths.

As of Saturday February 27, 2021, Wales has now delivered more than 1 million first and second doses of Covid-19 vaccinations, and the weekly incidence of Covid-19 infections in all local authority areas throughout Wales has fallen below 100 cases per 100,000 population.

In Hywel Dda the health board has administered 117,283 vaccinations up to February 24 – 52,804 in Carmarthenshire, 38,828 in Pembrokeshire and 36,448 in Ceredigion.

Second doses have also been given to 4,451 people – 2,378 in Carmarthenshire, 873 in Pembrokeshire and 542 in Ceredigion.

On the latest, March 1 figures, coronavirus cases in the three counties rose by 137 from February 22, up to 15,467 –3,293 of them in Pembrokeshire and 1,723 in Ceredigion to date.

Pembrokeshire has seen 28 extra cases in the last week, and neighbouring Ceredigion 17.

In the same time period, there were 17 further deaths in Hywel Dda, up to 457.

February 22 saw a weekly increase of 212 cases in Hywel Dda from February 15, up to 15,330 –3,265 of them in Pembrokeshire and 1,706 in Ceredigion to date.

Pembrokeshire saw 58 extra cases, and neighbouring Ceredigion 22.

In the same time period, there were 21 further deaths in Hywel Dda, up to 440.

February 15 saw coronavirus cases in the three counties rise by 227 from February 8, up to 15,118 –3,207 of them in Pembrokeshire and 1,684 in Ceredigion.

Pembrokeshire saw 67 extra cases in a week.

In the same time period, there were 30 further deaths in Hywel Dda, up to 419.

The previous Monday, February 8, saw a weekly rise of 336 cases in the health board and 23 further deaths, with 3,140 cases in Pembrokeshire, a weekly increase of 69 cases.

February 1 saw 14,555 cases in Hywel Dda, 3,071 in Pembrokeshire, a weekly increase of 118 cases in the county.

There were 366 deaths recorded across the health board on that date, a weekly increase of 26 deaths.

Every person in priority groups 5 to 9 will be offered a Covid-19 vaccination by April 18, Hywel Dda University Health Board has confirmed.

While the health board’s vaccination programme has the capacity to offer a vaccine to everyone in Joint Committee on Vaccines and Immunisation groups 5 to 9 by the original target date of April 4, the delivery plan has had to be adjusted based on confirmed vaccine deliveries.

Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, and Pembrokeshire residents in priority groups 5 to 9 can expect to receive their vaccine as follows:

• Group 5, people aged 65 - 69 years - delivered by GP practices between February 15 and March 12

• Group 6, people aged 16 years to 64 years with underlying health conditions and unpaid carers - delivered by GP practices between February 22 and April 4

• Group 7, people aged 60 - 64 years - delivered by mass vaccination centres starting March 8

• Group 8, people aged 55 - 59 years - delivered by mass vaccination centres starting March 22

• Group 9, people aged 50 - 54 years - delivered by mass vaccination centres starting April 5

The health board currently has mass vaccination centres located in Haverfordwest, Tenby, Cardigan, Carmarthen, Aberystwyth, and Llanelli.

Hywel Dda stated: “Group 6 is significantly the largest cohort to be vaccinated to date and we understand that many in this group will be anxious to receive a vaccine.

“Please do not contact your GP or the health board to ask about your appointment, you will be contacted directly when it is your turn and we thank you for your patience.

“People in groups 7, 8 and 9 will receive a letter with an appointment date and time. Please arrive as close to your appointment time as possible. The letter will include a phone number to contact the health board should you need to rearrange or cancel your appointment but please make every effort to keep your allocated appointment time.”

Steve Moore, chief executive of Hywel Dda UHB, said: “While our programme has had to slow due to supplies, we want to reassure everyone in groups 5 to 9 that our amazing teams of vaccinators and GP practices have the capability and flexibility to deliver our vaccine supplies as they arrive into the region.

“Vaccine supplies will start to increase again from mid-March, and we are confident that everyone living in our three counties in the top nine priority groups will be offered a vaccine by mid-April.

“In Hywel Dda we have an older population compared to some other health boards and so over 50 per cent of our adult population will have been offered a vaccine by milestone 2.

“To be able to say that as we approach the anniversary of the first national lockdown is nothing short of extraordinary.

“And again, I must say thank you to everyone living in our three counties who continue to come forward in substantial numbers for the vaccine. Uptake remains remarkably high and we hope to see this continue through groups 5 to 9 and into group 10.”

People are asked, wherever possible, to use their own private transport to attend an appointment.

Lifts can be accepted from someone in their household or support bubble, but not from anyone else due to the risk of transmission of the virus.

The health board has put in place transport support for anyone who may have difficulty attending their vaccination appointment. If you have no other means of travel, please contact the health board on 0300 303 8322 and we will be happy to assist.

Everyone in priority groups 1 to 4 should have received an offer of a vaccination.

If you have not been contacted, or have changed your mind, please contact your GP at the earliest opportunity.

On January 25, coronavirus cases in the three counties rose by 676 from January 18, up to 14,139 –2,953 in Pembrokeshire, a weekly rise of 204 cases.

In the same time period, there were 22 further deaths in Hywel Dda, up to 340.

The previous Monday, January 18, saw a weekly rise of 878 cases and 34 further deaths in Hywel Dda, with 9,175 cases in Carmarthenshire, 2,749 in Pembrokeshire, and 1,539 in Ceredigion.

As of January 11, the total number of cases across the three counties were 8,620 in Carmarthenshire, 2,554 in Pembrokeshire and 1,411 in Ceredigion, with 284 deaths across the health board.

From January 4-11 cases increased by 1,055 in just one week in Hywel Dda.

During that time, Pembrokeshire saw an additional 327 cases, Ceredigion 119, and Carmarthenshire 609.

From December 28-January 4 Hywel Dda cases increased by 1,189 in one week, with 40 further deaths.

December 28 saw Hywel Dda Health Board (UHB) area coronavirus cases increase by 1,295 over the previous Monday, with 28 further deaths due to Covid-19.

The previous Monday, December 21, coronavirus cases in Hywel Dda increased by 2,236 in just one week, with 24 further deaths due to Covid-19, taking the total to 171 deaths in Hywel Dda.

The previous Monday, December 14, saw an increase of 922 cases in Hywel Dda week-on-week, with 22 further deaths in the Hywel Dda area, for a total of 147.

On December 14, there were a total of 1,366 cases in Pembrokeshire, 822 in Ceredigion and 4,622 in Carmarthenshire.

In a week, Pembrokeshire had seen an additional 165 cases, Ceredigion 107, and Carmarthenshire 650.

December 7 saw 1,201 cases in Pembrokeshire, 715 in Ceredigion and 3,972 in Carmarthenshire.

November 30 saw an increase in cases of 655 from the previous Monday, with 116 deaths in Hywel Dda to date, and 968 cases in Pembrokeshire, 588 in Ceredigion and 3,377 in Carmarthenshire.

On November 23, the total number of cases was 2,991 in Carmarthenshire; 473 in Ceredigion and 814 in Pembrokeshire, with 104 deaths in the Hywel Dda area.

The Monday previous to that, November 16, saw a Pembrokeshire total of 730; 392 in Ceredigion and 2,625 in Carmarthenshire.

Deaths up to that date in the Hywel Dda area numbered 93.

That was an increase in Hywel Dda University Health Board cases of 424 in a week, with 15 more deaths in the area than on the previous Monday, November 9, which saw Pembrokeshire’s total at 647; Ceredigion up to 336; and 2,340 in Carmarthenshire.

On November 9, the Hywel Dda UHB area had reported 78 deaths to date.