A former Mid and West Wales AM is conscious and responding to treatment for coronavirus after spending nearly three weeks in intensive care.

William Powell, who was a regional AM for Mid and West Wales, which includes Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, Powys, Pembrokeshire and large parts of Gwynedd, from 2011 to 2016 and president of the Welsh Liberal Democrats until last year, has been in Nevill Hall hospital in Abergavenny and on a ventilator since he was admitted on 26 March.

A spokesperson for the Welsh Liberal Democrats said: “We are pleased to be able to confirm that, two and a half weeks after being admitted to hospital with Covid-19, William Powell’s condition is improving.

“Although he remains in ICU for the moment, he is responding well to treatment and is now conscious again.

“He has received outstanding treatment from the staff in Nevill Hall Hospital and we are incredibly grateful to them for all they have done, and continue to do, to keep us all safe and well.

“We ask that people continue to respect his family’s privacy at this time, but we are hugely grateful for the outpouring of support we have seen over the past two weeks.”