COVID-19 Rates in South Wales East

Part of 2. Questions to the Minister for Health and Social Services – in the Senedd at 2:19 pm on 3 November 2021.

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Photo of Delyth Jewell Delyth Jewell Plaid Cymru 2:19, 3 November 2021

COVID-19 rates, as you've been saying, in the south-east have been worryingly high recently. One of the likely reasons for this is the number of inaccurate results given to residents by a laboratory in Wolverhampton. An estimated 4,000 Welsh residents were affected, and the majority were in Gwent and Cwm Taf. Minister, as you'll know, this was serious, because if people were told that they had tested negative but actually had the virus, they would have been going about their lives, infecting other people without realising it. You said in a statement, Minister, on 15 October, that you would work with the UK Health Security Agency and NHS test and trace on any actions their investigations into the incident would highlight. But, since then, there hasn't been a further update to Members. So, I'd ask you if the Welsh Government can provide more detail about how many of the affected residents were in fact living in either Gwent or the south-east Valleys, what the latest assessment is of how this colossal mix-up has impacted the modelling and the projections of COVID rates in Wales. And finally, Minister, when will Public Health Wales's assessment of the latest situation be completed and published, please?