OVER THE last week pressures on University Hospital Llandough have intensified as Covid infection rates increase, the Cardiff and Vale University Health Board has said.

The hospital in Llandough is now receiving up to ten new coronavirus patients per day.

The news comes days after the health board said they were “extremely concerned” over the sharply increasing cases in the region.

The leaders of Cardiff council and the Vale of Glamorgan council, as well as bosses from South Wales Police and Cardiff and Vale University Health Board described a bleak emergency situation as hospital staff are “pushed to the limit”.

A spokeswoman for Cardiff and Vale University Health Board said: “Over the last week the pressures on the hospital have intensified. As the rate of infection increases in Wales, we are closely monitoring the number of hospital admissions and will open up additional capacity across our sites including University Hospital Llandough as, and when, required. Llandough currently has a total of 58 Covid inpatients, 24 of whom are recovering, and is receiving 4-10 new Covid admissions per day.

“To help keep the level of infection low, we encourage people to continue to comply with social distancing regulations as instructed by Welsh Government; to maintain social distancing, wear a face covering where appropriate and regularly wash your hands.”

According to Public Health Wales, in the seven days up to December 10, Upper Penarth recorded 41 new cases, while Dinas Powys recorded 37, and Llandough and Cogan recorded 32.

Peterston and Wenvoe recorded 42 new cases, while Barry recorded 40.

Overall the Vale recorded its highest figure of 350 new cases in the week up to December 6 – up from 163 just a month earlier in the week up to November 8.

Last week that figure went down to 285 new cases, although Public Health Wales have said there could be anomalies in the cases since Saturday due to maintenance work on their system.

Fiona Kinghorn, the health board’s executive director of public health, said it was “alarming” to see cases rise so quickly over the past week and called for urgent action from the public.

She said: “We’re very concerned our primary care and hospital services are now under sustained pressure due to Covid, and sadly the number of people who are getting very unwell is increasing.

“Unfortunately we’re likely to see that translate through into more deaths, too.

“While we do have a vaccine we have started to roll out, this is a nine to 12 month programme and will take some time, so now is not the time for us to be complacent.

“Please try and stay at home, please do not mix with other households unnecessarily, work from home if you are able, and if it is essential to go out please do so in quieter periods. These small steps can really help us all to keep our communities safe.”

Vale council leader Neil Moore said the rising infection rates in the region were frightening and warned “we are heading for the worst period of the pandemic”.

He said: “The police and local authorities are being stretched by the number of Covid breaches they are having to deal with, while hospitals are once again under extreme pressure due to the sheer volume of patients.

“The professionals working in these organisations continue to selflessly put themselves in harm’s way during the course of their work. The risk they face could be greatly reduced if people followed the rules and adhered to guidance more closely. That absolutely can make a real difference and it is everyone’s responsibility to do so.

“Every rule violation makes the situation worse no matter how small it may seem, so in the strongest possible terms, I would urge everyone to stick closely to the restrictions, take their responsibilities seriously and stay safe.”