Omicron penetrates Powys

The highly contagious Omicron variant of Covid-19 has penetrated Powys’ heavily vaccinated borders with the first cases reported over the weekend.

The latest daily Health Board report showed on Sunday that there had been a total of nine cases reported so far in the county, out of a Wales-wide total of 272.

While the number remains incredible low, the variant has been shown to spread fast in other parts of the world so the bid to vaccinate and boost as many local residents as quickly as possible continues.

Dr Jane Salmon, Consultant in Health Protection for Public Health Wales, said: “As we have said recently, a rapid increase over the coming days and weeks is expected.”

The threat of Omicron appears to have convinced some original vaccine doubters to get jabbed with Powys Teaching Health Board reporting that 250 local residents had their first dose last week.

On Sunday, a total of 99 positive Covid-19 tests were reported for Powys.