Public Health Wales statement on Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak

This statement will be updated daily at 2pm

Updated: 2:00pm Thursday 21 May

NOTE: Detailed information on new cases of Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) in Wales is now available on our user-friendly data dashboard on the Public Health Wales website.

Dr Giri Shankar, Incident Director for the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak response at Public Health Wales, said:

“Public Health Wales has been working in partnership with Ortho Clinical Diagnostics on new Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) antibody tests. In South Wales production is now well underway on the tests, which can detect antibodies that can be used to identify an immune response and may be critical in back-to-work strategies.

“Antibody testing is an important part of our strategy to counter the spread of Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) and to help us understand who has had the disease. Knowing that the production of the test will be local to us in Wales was of great importance to us as we determined which suppliers to rely on.

“Anyone experiencing Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) symptoms can now apply for a home testing kit using the new UK online portal. For further information and a link to the booking website, visit: www.gov.wales/coronavirus or www.llyw.cymru/coronafeirws. This will be supported by a national 119 phone service, through which people can also order a home test.

“New guidance on Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) symptoms has also recently been issued from the four UK Chief Medical Officers. All individuals should self-isolate if they develop at least one of the following coronavirus symptoms: a new continuous cough or fever or loss of smell or taste (anosmia).

“Anosmia is the loss or a change in your normal sense of smell. It can also affect your sense of taste as the two are closely linked. The individual’s household should self-isolate for 14 days as per the current guidelines and the individual should stay at home for seven days, or longer if they still have symptoms other than cough or loss of sense of smell or taste.

“Public Health Wales welcomes the recent announcement by the Health Minister of the extension of Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) testing to all care home residents and staff.

“In conjunction with the Welsh Government’s ‘Test, Trace, Protect’ strategy published earlier this month, Public Health Wales will continue to work in  partnership with our communities, the Welsh Government, the wider NHS and local government in Wales to focus on protecting the health of the people of Wales as we support the implementation of the strategy.

“We have been working hard to increase our testing capacity, and as of Monday 11 May 2020 our capacity was at 5,330 tests a day in Wales.  We know there is more to do as demand increases, and we will continue to ramp up this capacity.

“The Welsh Government announced on Friday 8 May that lockdown arrangements would continue in Wales for a further three weeks: in Wales stay-at-home guidance remains that, wherever you can, you should stay at home.    

“Although we appear to have passed the peak of new cases in Wales, Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) is still circulating in every part of the country. The single most important action we can all take in fighting the virus is to stay at home, and we thank each and every person across Wales for doing their bit to help slow the spread of the virus.     

“Public Health Wales continues to support the implementation of the Critical Workers Testing Policy to make sure we use the current testing capacity in Wales to the full, ensuring we test the right people, at the right time, in the right place, to reduce the spread of Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19).

“We are encouraging everyone to download the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Symptom Study app, which has been supported by Welsh Government. The app allows users to log daily symptoms to help build a clearer picture of how the virus is affecting people. For more information, including how to download the app, visit covid.joinzoe.com.

“Public Health Wales is working to address the negative impact of Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) on the social, mental and physical wellbeing of people in Wales.  Our latest campaign, ‘How are you doing?’ is now live and offering practical advice from phw.nhs.wales/howareyoudoing.

“People no longer need to contact NHS 111 if they think they may have contracted Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19).  Information about the symptoms to look out for is available on the Public Health Wales website, or members of the public can use the NHS Wales symptom checker.

“Anyone with a suspected coronavirus illness should not go to a GP surgery, pharmacy or hospital.  They should only contact NHS 111 if they feel they cannot cope with their symptoms at home, their condition gets worse, or their symptoms do not get better after seven days.

“Only call 999 if you are experiencing a life-threatening emergency, do not call 999 just because you are on hold to 111. We appreciate that 111 lines are busy, but you will get through after a wait.

"While emphasising the importance of staying at home, we also want to reinforce the message from NHS Wales that urgent and emergency care services for physical and mental health are still open and accessible.

“For parents, if your child is unwell and you are concerned you should seek help. If you have urgent dental pain you should still call your dentist. If you have a health complaint that is worrying you and won’t go away you should call your GP practice. If you or a family member are seriously ill or injured you should dial 999 or attend your nearest Emergency Department.”

DATGANIAD CYMRAEG

Diweddariad: 2:00yp Dydd Iau 21 Mai

NODER: Mae gwybodaeth fanwl am achosion newydd o Coronafeirws Newydd (COVID-19) yng Nghymru bellach ar gael ar ein dangosfwrdd data hawdd ei ddefnyddio ar wefan Iechyd Cyhoeddus Cymru.

Dywedodd Dr Giri Shankar, Cyfarwyddwr Digwyddiad ar gyfer yr ymateb i'r achos o'r Coronafeirws Newydd (COVID-19) yn Iechyd Cyhoeddus Cymru:

“Mae Iechyd Cyhoeddus Cymru wedi bod yn gweithio mewn partneriaeth ag Ortho Clinical Diagnostics ar brawf gwrthgorff newydd ar gyfer Coronafeirws Newydd (COVID-19). Yn Ne Cymru, mae’r gwaith o gynhyrchu’r profion hyn wedi bod yn mynd rhagddo. Gall y profion hyn ddod o hyd i wrthgyrff y mae modd eu defnyddio i adnabod ymateb imiwn a gallent fod yn hanfodol mewn strategaethau dychwelyd i’r gwaith.

“Mae cynnal profion gwrthgyrff yn rhan bwysig o’n strategaeth i atal lledaeniad Coronafeirws Newydd (COVID-19) ac i’n helpu i ddeall pwy sydd wedi cael yr afiechyd. Roedd gwybod y bydd y gwaith o gynhyrchu’r prawf yn lleol i ni yng Nghymru o bwysigrwydd mawr i ni wrth i ni bennu pa gyflenwyr i ddibynnu arnynt.

“Gall unrhyw un sy’n profi symptomau Coronafeirws Newydd (COVID-19) nawr wneud cais am becyn prawf cartref gan ddefnyddio porth ar-lein newydd y DU. I gael rhagor o wybodaeth a dolen i'r wefan archebu, ewch i: www.llyw.cymru/coronafeirws neu www.gov.wales/coronavirus. Cefnogir hyn gan wasanaeth ffôn 119 cenedlaethol, lle gall pobl hefyd archebu prawf cartref.

“Cyhoeddwyd canllawiau newydd ar symptomau Coronafeirws Newydd (COVID-19) hefyd yn ddiweddar gan bedwar Prif Swyddog Meddygol y DU. Dylai pob unigolyn hunanynysu os yw'n datblygu o leiaf un o'r symptomau coronafeirws canlynol: peswch neu dwymyn barhaus newydd neu golli synnwyr blasu neu arogli (anosmia).

“Anosmia yw colli neu newid i’ch synnwyr arogli arferol. Gall hefyd effeithio ar eich synnwyr blasu, gan fod cysylltiad agos rhwng y ddau. Dylai pawb yng nghartref yr unigolyn hunanynysu am 14 diwrnod yn unol â'r canllawiau cyfredol a dylai'r unigolyn aros gartref am saith diwrnod, neu'n hirach os oes ganddo symptomau heblaw peswch neu golli synnwyr arogli neu flasu.

“Mae Iechyd Cyhoeddus Cymru yn croesawu’r cyhoeddiad diweddar gan y Gweinidog Iechyd y dylid ymestyn profi ar gyfer Coronafeirws Newydd (COVID-19) i holl breswylwyr a staff cartrefi gofal.

“Mewn partneriaeth â strategaeth ‘Profi, Monitro, Olrhain’ Llywodraeth Cymru a gyhoeddwyd yn gynharach y mis hwn, bydd Iechyd Cyhoeddus Cymru yn parhau i weithio mewn partneriaeth â’n cymunedau, Llywodraeth Cymru, y GIG yn ehangach a llywodraeth leol yng Nghymru i ganolbwyntio ar amddiffyn iechyd pobl Cymru wrth i ni gefnogi gweithredu’r strategaeth.”

“Rydyn ni wedi bod yn gweithio’n galed i gynyddu ein capasiti profi, ac ein capasiti o ddydd Llun 11 Mai 2020 ymlaen oedd 5,330 o brofion y dydd.  Rydym yn gwybod bod rhagor i'w wneud wrth i'r galw gynyddu, a byddwn yn parhau i gynyddu’r capasiti hwn.

“Cyhoeddodd Llywodraeth Cymru ddydd Gwener 8 Mai y byddai trefniadau cyfyngiadau symud yn parhau yng Nghymru am dair wythnos arall: mae’r canllawiau aros gartref yn aros yr un fath yng Nghymru, sef y dylech aros gartref, lle bynnag y bo’n bosibl.     

“Er ei bod yn ymddangos ein bod wedi mynd heibio’r lefel uchaf o achosion newydd yng Nghymru, mae Coronafeirws Newydd (COVID-19) yn dal i gylchredeg ym mhob rhan o’r wlad. Y cam pwysicaf un y gallwn i gyd ei gymryd wrth drechu’r feirws yw aros gartref, a diolchwn i bawb ledled Cymru am chwarae ei ran i helpu i arafu lledaeniad y feirws.    

“Mae Iechyd Cyhoeddus Cymru yn parhau i gefnogi gweithredu’r Polisi Profi Gweithwyr Allweddol i sicrhau ein bod yn defnyddio’r capasiti profi presennol yng Nghymru i’w lawn botensial, gan sicrhau ein bod yn profi’r bobl iawn ar yr adeg iawn ac yn y lle iawn, er mwyn lleihau lledaeniad Coronafeirws Newydd (COVID-19).

“Rydym yn annog pawb i lawrlwytho’r ap Astudio Symptomau Coronafeirws Newydd (COVID-19), a dderbyniodd gefnogaeth gan Lywodraeth Cymru. Mae'r ap yn caniatáu i ddefnyddwyr logio symptomau’n ddyddiol i helpu i adeiladu darlun cliriach o sut mae'r feirws yn effeithio ar bobl. Am ragor o wybodaeth, gan gynnwys sut i lawrlwytho'r ap, ewch i covid.joinzoe.com.

“Mae Iechyd Cyhoeddus Cymru yn gweithio i fynd i’r afael ag effaith negyddol Coronafeirws Newydd (COVID-19) ar lesiant cymdeithasol, meddyliol a chorfforol poblogaeth Cymru.  Mae ein hymgyrch diweddaraf, Sut Wyt Ti? bellach yn fyw ac mae’n cynnig cyngor ymarferol trwy phw.nhs.wales/howareyoudoing.

“Nid oes angen i bobl gysylltu ag NHS 111 mwyach os ydynt yn credu bod ganddynt Coronafeirws Newydd (COVID-19).  Mae gwybodaeth am y symptomau i gadw llygad amdanynt ar gael ar wefan Iechyd Cyhoeddus Cymru, neu gall aelodau'r cyhoedd ddefnyddio  gwiriwr symptomauGIG Cymru.

“Ni ddylai unrhyw un yr amheuir bod ganddo/ganddi salwch coronafeirws fynd i bractis meddyg teulu, fferyllfa nac ysbyty.  Dim ond os yw'n teimlo na all ymdopi â'i symptomau gartref, fod ei gyflwr yn gwaethygu, neu os nad yw ei symptomau’n gwella ar ôl saith niwrnod y dylai gysylltu â NHS 111.

“Peidiwch â ffonio 999 oni bai eich bod yn profi argyfwng sy’n peryglu bywyd. Peidiwch â ffonio 999 dim ond oherwydd eich bod yn aros i 111 ateb eich galwad ffôn. Rydym yn deall bod llinellau 111 yn brysur, ond bydd rhywun yn ateb eich galwad ar ôl i chi aros.

“Er ein bod am bwysleisio pwysigrwydd aros gartref, hoffwn atgyfnerthu’r neges gan GIG Cymru fod gwasanaethau gofal brys ar gyfer iechyd meddwl ac iechyd corfforol ar agor o hyd.

“I rieni, os yw'ch plentyn yn sâl a'ch bod yn pryderu, dylech ofyn am help. Os oes gennych boen deintyddol brys, dylech ddal i ffonio'ch deintydd. Os oes gennych broblem iechyd sy'n eich poeni ac nad yw’n mynd i ffwrdd, dylech ffonio'ch practis meddyg teulu. Os ydych chi, neu aelod o'r teulu, yn ddifrifol wael neu wedi'ch anafu, dylech ddeialu 999 neu fynd i'ch Adran Achosion Brys agosaf.”