Staff and patients at a mental health hospital on the outskirts of Newport have tested positive for covid, the health board has confirmed.

Earlier this week, there was some suggestion of a covid-19 outbreak at St Cadoc’s Hospital, in Caerleon.

Today (Wednesday, December 1), the Aneurin Bevan University Health Board has confirmed this.

A spokeswoman for the health board, which covers hospitals and healthcare facilities across Newport and the wider Gwent area confirmed that “a small number of patients and staff” are affected.

At this time, the affected areas of the hospital are closed, and no patients are being admitted.

These measures are expected to remain in place until these spaces are clear of the potentially deadly virus.

It is not thought that these cases are of the Omicron variant of the virus – which has yet to be confirmed in Wales, despite growing case numbers elsewhere in the UK.

Despite the confirmed cases, figures at the health board have stressed that strict infection control procedures remain in place in all Gwent hospitals.

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Statement from the health board in full

Confirming news of the outbreak at St Cadoc’s, a spokeswoman for Aneurin Bevan University Health Board told the Argus: “We are continuing to manage a COVID-19 outbreak affecting a small number of patients and staff at St Cadoc’s Hospital.

“Our Outbreak Control Team are managing the situation and affected areas remain closed to admissions until they are clear of infection.

“Staff at the Health Board have been working tirelessly throughout the Covid-19 pandemic to care for our patients and to prevent the spread of the virus in our hospitals.

“We have strict infection control procedures in place within our hospitals and are taking every possible measure to prevent the spread of the Coronavirus.”

News of the outbreak comes as something of a blow for the region, which recorded a significant drop in new cases of covid in the latest 24 hour Public Health Wales testing period.

During this period, 283 new cases were recorded.

Meanwhile, there has now been 1,106 deaths in the health board area due to the virus since the beginning of the pandemic.