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

This statement will be updated daily at 2pm

Updated: 2:00pm Tuesday 04 August 

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

“Public Health Wales supports the recent announcement of the four UK Chief Medical Officers to extend the self-isolation period from seven to 10 days for those in the community who have symptoms or a positive test result. This will help provide additional protection to others in the community.

“We continue to caution and remind the public and business-owners that we all have a vital role in preventing the spread of Coronavirus by always sticking to social distancing guidelines - staying two metres away from others, and washing hands regularly. When travelling you should also avoid car sharing with people outside your household.

"Anyone with suspected symptoms of COVID-19 infection - a high temperature, a new, continuous cough, or a loss of smell or taste (anosmia) - must self-isolate and seek an urgent test.

"Confirmed cases must now isolate for 10 days, with members of their household isolating for 14 days until the risk of passing on further infection has gone. Combined, these simple but effective actions will ensure the virus does not spread.

“Public Health Wales is also reminding the public that children under the age of 11 no longer have to maintain a two metre distance from each other or from adults. This reflects scientific evidence which indicates the risk of transmission is lower among this age group. However, it is very important older children and young adults continue to follow social distancing and the other measures to keep them safe.

Updates on current incidents

“Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, Wrexham Council and Public Health Wales worked together to provide easy-access testing at two testing centres in Wrexham at the end of last week and into the weekend.

“A big thank you to the community in Wrexham for their enthusiastic response and for coming forward to be tested. We are very reassured by the emerging picture from these sessions, which appears to indicate that transmission is significantly lower than thought.  Just two new cases was identified on the first day of testing.”

“We all have a vital role in preventing the spread of Coronavirus, to help keep Wales safe. We can do this by always observing social distancing guidelines – that’s staying two metres away from others – and washing hands regularly.

“Focused testing as part of the management of clusters and outbreaks of Coronavirus will inevitably identify new cases, and this does not mean that there has been a significant increase in the level of infection in the community.

“There are no significant updates on the previously reported incidents in Llangefni, Ebbw Vale and Merthyr.

Contact tracing and general information

“Contact tracing continues in Wales as part of the Welsh Government’s Test, Trace, Protect strategy. Anyone who has a positive Coronavirus test will be contacted by a team of contact tracers, and asked for details of everyone they have had close contact with while they have had symptoms.

“Please keep a note of your activities so you can easily remember your whereabouts on a given day, along with who you were in contact with.

“If you are asked to self-isolate, you should also comply with this request to prevent further spread of the virus.

“Tracers are trained staff and personal information that you provide will handled in line with data protection regulations and will not be shared widely.

“Further information about the symptoms of Coronavirus is available on the Public Health Wales website, or members of the public can use the NHS Wales symptom checker.

“Anyone experiencing Coronavirus symptoms can apply for a home testing kit by visiting www.gov.wales/coronavirus, or by calling the national 119 phone service.

“Anyone with suspected coronavirus 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.”

“Public Health Wales’ user-friendly data dashboard takes information from a range of different sources. The total number of positive cases now includes those reported from non-NHS Wales laboratories, which are subject to ongoing de-duplication, refinement and reconciliation. This may result in fluctuation of the total positive cases as this process takes place.”

Diweddarwyd: 2:00yp Dydd Mawrth 04 Awst

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 yn cefnogi cyhoeddiad diweddar pedwar Prif Swyddog Meddygol y DU i ymestyn y cyfnod hunanynysu o saith i 10 diwrnod i’r rheini yn y gymuned sydd â symptomau neu ganlyniad prawf positif. Bydd hyn yn helpu i ddarparu amddiffyniad ychwanegol i bobl eraill yn y gymuned.

“Rydym yn parhau i rybuddio ac atgoffa’r cyhoedd a pherchenogion busnes fod gennym ni i gyd rôl bwysig i’w chwarae wrth atal lledaeniad Coronafeirws trwy lynu wrth ganllawiau cadw pellter cymdeithasol bob amser – sicrhau eich bod yn cadw dau fetr oddi wrth bobl eraill a golchi eich dwylo yn rheolaidd. Wrth deithio, dylech hefyd osgoi rhannu ceir â phobl y tu allan i'ch cartref.

“Rhaid i unrhyw un yr amheuir bod ganddynt symptomau COVID-19, sef tymheredd uchel, peswch newydd a pharhaus neu golli synnwyr blasu neu arogli (anosmia), hunanynysu a chael prawf ar unwaith.

“Rhaid i achosion a gaiff eu cadarnhau bellach ynysu am 10 diwrnod, a rhaid i aelodau o’u cartrefi ynysu am 14 diwrnod hyd nes bod y perygl o drosglwyddo’r haint ymhellach wedi mynd. Gyda’i gilydd, bydd y camau syml ond effeithiol hyn yn sicrhau nad yw’r feirws yn lledaenu.

“Mae Iechyd Cyhoeddus Cymru hefyd yn atgoffa’r cyhoedd nad oes yn rhaid i blant o dan 11 mlwydd oed gadw pellter dau fetr oddi wrth ei gilydd neu oddi wrth oedolion mwyach. Mae hyn yn adlewyrchu tystiolaeth wyddonol sy'n dangos bod y risg o drosglwyddo yn is ymysg y grŵp oedran hwn. Fodd bynnag, mae'n bwysig iawn bod plant hŷn ac oedolion ifanc yn parhau i gadw pellter cymdeithasol ac at y mesurau eraill i'w cadw'n ddiogel.

Diweddariadau ar ddigwyddiadau cyfredol

“Mae Bwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Betsi Cadwaladr, Cyngor Wrecsam ac Iechyd Cyhoeddus Cymru wedi gweithio gyda’i gilydd i sicrhau bod profion sy’n hawdd cael mynediad atynt yn cael eu cynnal mewn dwy ganolfan brofi yn Wrecsam ddiwedd yr wythnos diwethaf ac yn ystod y penwythnos.”

“Diolch yn fawr i’r gymuned yn Wrecsam am eu hymateb brwdfrydig ac am ddod i gael eu profi. Rydym wedi cael sicrwydd gan y darlun sy’n dod i’r amlwg o’r sesiynau hyn sydd, yn ôl pob golwg, yn nodi bod lledaeniad y feirws yn sylweddol is na’r disgwyl.  Dim ond dau achos newydd a nodwyd ar y diwrnod cyntaf o brofi.”

“Mae gan bob un ohonom rôl hanfodol i’w chwarae wrth atal Coronafeirws rhag lledaenu, er mwyn helpu i gadw Cymru’n ddiogel. Gallwn wneud hyn drwy gadw at ganllawiau cadw pellter cymdeithasol bob amser – hynny yw, aros dau fetr i ffwrdd oddi wrth bobl eraill – a golchi dwylo'n rheolaidd.

“Mae'n anochel y bydd profi â ffocws fel rhan o reoli clystyrau ac achosion o Coronafeirws yn nodi achosion newydd, ac nid yw hyn yn golygu y bu cynnydd sylweddol yn nifer yr achosion yn y gymuned.

“Nid oes unrhyw ddiweddariadau sylweddol ar y digwyddiadau yr adroddwyd amdanynt yn flaenorol yn Llangefni, Glyn Ebwy a Merthyr.

Olrhain cysylltiadau a gwybodaeth gyffredinol

“Mae olrhain cysylltiadau yn parhau yng Nghymru fel rhan o strategaeth Profi, Monitro, Olrhain Llywodraeth Cymru. Bydd tîm o olrheinwyr cysylltiadau yn cysylltu ag unrhyw un sydd wedi cael prawf positif am Coronafeirws, a gofynnir am fanylion pawb y mae wedi bod mewn cysylltiad agos â nhw tra bod symptomau gyda nhw.

“Cadwch nodyn o'ch gweithgareddau er mwyn i chi allu cofio’n hawdd ble oeddech chi ar ddiwrnod penodol, ynghyd â gyda phwy yr oeddech mewn cysylltiad â nhw.

“Os gofynnir i chi hunanynysu, dylech hefyd gydymffurfio â'r gofyniad hwn er mwyn atal y feirws rhag lledaenu ymhellach.

“Mae olrheinwyr yn staff hyfforddedig a bydd yr wybodaeth bersonol rydych chi'n ei darparu yn cael ei thrin yn unol â rheoliadau diogelu data ac ni fydd yn cael ei rhannu'n eang.

“Mae gwybodaeth bellach am symptomau Coronafeirws ar gael ar wefan Iechyd Cyhoeddus Cymru, neu gall aelodau'r cyhoedd ddefnyddio gwiriwr symptomau GIG Cymru.

“Gall unrhyw un sydd â symptomau Coronafeirws wneud cais am becyn profi gartref trwy fynd i www.gov.wales/coronavirus, neu trwy ffonio’r gwasanaeth ffôn 119 cenedlaethol.

“Ni ddylai unrhyw un yr amheuir bod ganddo/ganddi 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.

“Mae dangosfwrdd data hawdd ei ddefnyddio Iechyd Cyhoeddus Cymru yn casglu gwybodaeth o ystod o ffynonellau gwahanol. Mae cyfanswm nifer yr achosion positif bellach yn cynnwys y rhai yr adroddwyd amdanynt o labordai nad ydynt yn eiddo i GIG Cymru, sy’n ddarostyngedig i ddad-ddyblygu, mireinio a chysoni parhaus. Gallai hyn arwain at amrywiad yng nghyfanswm nifer yr achosion positif wrth i’r broses hon fynd rhagddi.”