North Wales on ‘same journey’ as other parts of country, says First Minister despite higher than average Covid levels

North Wales is “on the same journey” as other parts of the country despite having higher levels of Covid-19, First Minister Mark Drakeford has said.

The Welsh Government today announced an easing of lockdown restrictions across Wales, which have instead been replaced by “stay local” rules.

Health Minister Vaughan Gething had already appeared to rule out introducing different measures in the region to other parts of the country.

Mr Drakeford elaborated more on the reasoning at this afternoon’s coronavirus media briefing following an overall drop in cases across the whole area.

When questioned on the local situation, he said: “The good news is that over the whole of the North Wales area, figures fell again yesterday.

“It has been a bit more bumpy than other parts of Wales, and we had a couple of local authorities in North Wales yesterday that rose slightly, while the other four were falling.

“While it is taking a bit longer, North Wales is on the same journey as everywhere else.

“All the things that I’ve announced today apply equally in North Wales, as in any other part of Wales.”

Chart courtesy of https://twitter.com/UKCovid19Stats

When he was asked why the figures are higher in the region, he continued: “We know that the Kent variant entered Wales, first of all in North Wales, and was in faster circulation there than elsewhere. I think that lies behind it to an extent.

“We talk about North Wales as though it were one place, when we know it’s very different in different parts of North Wales.

“You’ve got the urban areas at the north-east border and then you’ve got very rural areas as you go further west.

“I think that that partly explains why the figures have been a bit bumpier between authorities in North Wales.”