Computer glitch hiding 11,000 Covid cases in Wales emphasises how serious crisis is – Drakeford
A computer glitch has reportedly meant 11,000 positive Covid tests in Wales from the past week were not counted in original figures.
As cases continue to rise in Wales, the error means the number of positive tests there for the week could be nearly double what was first thought, the BBC has reported.
Currently, recorded figures for the country for the week of December 9-15 stand at 11,911.
But Public Health Wales (PHW) says the 11,000 extra cases were missed because of “planned maintenance” of some IT systems, the BBC says.
A total of 103,098 people have tested positive in Wales since the Covid crisis began, meaning the 11,000 extra positives – which will be added PHW figures on Thursday – will represent roughly one tenth of the new total.
Plaid Cymru health spokesman Rhun ap Iorwerth told the broadcaster: “With positive cases in Wales rising to record levels it is crucial that the reporting of data is both timely and robust.
“The public need a complete and current picture of the situation to realise the gravity of what we are facing.
“We need urgent reassurance that the failings have been addressed.”
Drakeford: Missing Covid tests show ‘how serious’ crisis is in Wales
An extra 11,000 positive coronavirus tests missing from official figures in Wales demonstrate “how serious the position” in the country is, First Minister Mark Drakeford has said.
Maintenance work on Public Health Wales systems at the end of last week meant the numbers were not included on top of 11,911 positive cases reported by the agency between December 9 and 15.
On Thursday Mr Drakeford (pictured) denied the data had been “missing” from the country’s figures in recent days and was known by the Welsh Government.
He told BBC Breakfast: “This was planned upgrading of the computer system, none of the data is missing, everybody who had a positive test in Wales was told that last week, everything was uploaded on to our Track, Trace and Protect system.
“But the figures do demonstrate just how serious the position here in Wales has become and underlines why we made the decisions yesterday both in the lead-up to Christmas, during Christmas, and once Christmas is over.
“The Government was aware that there were tests that are being carried out which were not being loaded on to the system because that is what we already announced.”
A statement from Public Health Wales said its dashboard was being updated with the figures following the work on its NHS Welsh Laboratory Information Management System (WLIMS).
It said: “This means that we expect a backlog of results to come through over the coming days, and there will be a period of data reconciliation and validation that will affect our daily reporting figures for several days.
“(Thursday’s) figures and those over the following days will be higher as a result of the backlog coming through.”
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