Coronavirus: \'Chances of contact with virus in Wales lowest since March\'

Coronavirus: 'Chances of contact with virus in Wales lowest since March'

Mark Drakeford Image copyright Getty Images
Image caption Mark Drakeford said 21,000 people were tested for the virus last weekend and 0.25% came back as positive

The chances of coming into contact with someone with coronavirus in Wales is lower than it has been at any point in the pandemic, the first minister says.

Mark Drakeford said: "A tiny proportion of people tested in Wales are turning out to have coronavirus."

He said 21,000 people were tested last weekend and 0.25% came back as positive.

On Thursday it was announced that those most at risk from coronavirus can stop shielding after 16 August.

Wales' Chief Medical Officer Dr Frank Atherton told the Welsh Government's daily briefing that about 130,000 people in Wales with underlying health conditions had been advised to stay indoors since the start of the pandemic to protect themselves.

On Friday, Mr Drakeford told BBC Radio Wales Breakfast the recent test results had allowed the pause on advice to shielders: "That's why the chief medical officer has concluded that it is now safe for people with those additional medical conditions to begin to gradually and carefully resume some of the activities that have been denied to them for all these weeks."

On Thursday, for the fifth day in the last 10 no deaths with Covid-19 were announced in Wales.

The total number of deaths remains at 1,545 and to date16,871 people have tested positive for Covid-19.

Public Health Wales figures show the highest number of deaths occurred on the 9 and 13 of April with 43 people dying with Covid-19 on each of these days.