Clwyd West MS Darren Millar is calling on Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board to urgently get a grip on hospital Covid infection control after latest figures revealed that 44% of new cases in North Wales last week were people who probably or definitely caught the virus as patients in hospital.

Concerningly, Public Health Wales figures show that people in hospitals in North Wales are at more risk than people in hospitals in the rest of Wales and the figures have been increasing in recent weeks. 

Darren has described the situation as appalling and called for the health board, and the Welsh Health Minister to take urgent action to address the issue.

He said:  

“These figures are absolutely appalling and will cause grave concern in households across the whole of North Wales.

“Whilst we have all been reading encouraging reports in recent weeks of the spread of Coronavirus in healthcare settings across Wales, this data rings alarm bells. 

“Given that Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board is in special measures – and has been for over five years -  and is therefore under direct control of the Welsh Labour-led Government, the data is all the more disturbing.

“Patients in North Wales deserve better and both the Welsh Health Minister and health board bosses need to ensure that these figures are investigated and measures are put in place immediately to bring these rates down.

“At what is still an incredibly worrying time for everyone, people need assurances that should they, or a loved one, need to be admitted to hospital in North Wales they will be safe.”