TWO new cases of the South African variant of Covid-19 have been confirmed in West Wales, according to health chiefs.

There have now been 21 confirmed cases of the mutant strain of coronavirus in Wales with five being reported in the West Wales area.

Giving the daily statement this lunch time, Dr Giri Shankar, incident director for the outbreak response at Public Health Wales, said: “Public Health Wales is today confirming four additional cases of the South African variant of coronavirus in, bringing the total number to 21.

“We have identified a single case of the South African variant as part of routine genomic sequencing in the Flintshire local authority area with no known link to relevant contacts or travel history.

“The individual was self-isolating while symptomatic, and there is no evidence of wider community transmission. An investigation is ongoing.

“We have identified an additional positive case of the South African variant in the Conwy local authority area. The case has a travel history, and the investigation is ongoing.

“We have identified two additional positive cases in West Wales with a link to relevant contacts.

“These cases are linked with the travel associated cases we confirmed on 17 February in West Wales.

“There remains no evidence of sustained community transmission of the South African variant in Wales.

“Anyone who is a contact of theses case will be contacted through the Test, Trace, Protect process and provided with additional advice for themselves, their household and other contacts.

“There is no evidence that the South African variant causes more serious illness, although there is some evidence that it can spread more easily, and that vaccines - although still effective - may not work quite as well against it.

“Because of the emergence of new more transmissible variants, it is even more vital that we all keep to the lockdown restrictions and do not meet other people.”

According to daily figures released by Public Health Wales this lunchtime, Ceredigion has recorded three new cases today, with Carmarthenshire recording 21 and Pembrokeshire, 11.

Powys has recorded 15 new cases while Gwynedd has recorded 20.

An outbreak of coronavirus has been confirmed at Ysbyty Gwynedd in Bangor with Dr Karen Mottart, medical director at Ysbyty Gwynedd, confirming that the hospital is caring for 75 people with the virus, 49 of which were linked to the outbreak.

Four deaths have been recorded in Wales today, taking the total number of Covid-19 related fatalities to 5,250 since the pandemic began almost a year ago.