Council Chief Executive unhappy with UK Government’s testing system leaving residents in ‘worrying’ position

Denbighshire council’s top boss revealed North Wales authorities have been summoned to a meeting by Welsh Government over the “very worrying” trend in coronavirus transmission.

Speaking to cabinet the council’s chief executive Judith Greenhalgh said Covid-19 infections, although still “very, very low”, had started to “move really rather rapidly” with the reopening of schools.
She said “a number of other school teachers and pupils” were self-isolating pending the outcome of coronavirus tests, after one pupil was confirmed Covid positive in Denbigh last week and another this week in Llandyrnog.

Cabinet was told the length of time spent waiting for results from UK Government “Lighthouse” testing labs was causing “concerns” – and restricting the availability of tests.

Last week there were 24 new Covid infections in the county, 20 the week before and four reported on Monday, bringing it above the 25 cases per 100,000 threshold.

The current rate of 25.1 per 100,000 meant Welsh Government now considered Denbighshire on a watch-list of potential areas of high infection.

The figures were, she said, “broadly in line” with Anglesey, Conwy and Flintshire.
Ms Greenhalgh then revealed the six counties in North Wales had been called to an urgent meeting by Welsh Government.

She said: “Welsh Government has asked us to call an incident management team meeting this evening to look at the situation right across the region.
“There has been one new confirmed new case at Ysgol Bron Clwyd in Llandyrnog but there are a number of other school teachers and pupils who are self-isolating pending the outcome of tests.
“We still have our concerns about the testing system as the Lighthouse labs, the national system commissioned by the UK government, are still not able to process tests in a timely manner.

“That’s having a significant ability on the availability of tests and I know that’s still an issue for a number of residents in our area.
“I think the situation we find ourselves in at the moment is worrying.”

She said “daily surveillance meetings” were taking place looking at UK issues and the pattern of infection in Denbighshire.

Any further increases would, she said, be accelerated to Welsh Government to take further action.
Ms Greenhalgh said reopening schools had a “fairly anticipated effect” on suspected cases and the track and trace system.

She said the authority, which works as part of a North Wales collective on Test, Trace and Protect led by Flintshire council, was “working hard to make sure we are keeping on top of coronavirus as much as we can”.

Despite being worried about the latest trends in the virus the chief executive said the “very, very low numbers” related mainly to key workers at present.

She added: “We’ve no evidence as we currently stand of community transmission within Denbighshire but as I say the situation is rapidly altering.”

By Jez Hemming – Local Democracy Reporter