MORE than one-in-five Newport City Council staff have been affected by coronavirus in some way.

Twenty-one per cent of the council's staff have either been self-isolating or are classed as vulnerable during the coronavirus pandemic.

But because of different recording measures, figures on staff absence due to coronavirus across the five Gwent councils are not directly comparable.

All five however, have seen an impact on staffing levels as a result of the virus.

Newport

Newport City Council has 894 employees (including school-based staff) who are considered vulnerable and depending on their job role some of them are able to continue working from home.

On March 31 the council had the highest number of staff absences so far because of the coronavirus. On this day 597 staff members were off.

As of April 9 there were 294 staff in self-isolation because either they or a family member had symptoms.

A council spokesman said: “Self-isolation does not prevent staff working from home, if appropriate for their job role, and providing they feel fit and able to work.

“Together, the figures give a current rate of 21 per cent in relation to coronavirus.

“Our thoughts are with all colleagues who are ill, or who have loved ones who are ill, at this time.

“We would like to add our thanks and appreciation to our staff who continue to provide services, especially those on the frontline, at this difficult time.”

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Blaenau Gwent

Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council has had 1,134 members of staff absent from work as of April 8.

These figures relate to staff who have been absent due to symptoms of coronavirus, family members with symptoms, return from travel, vulnerable groups and those living with vulnerable people.

Monmouthshire

Since March 1, Monmouthshire County Council has had 344 staff ill, self-isolating or undertaking caring roles.

Of those 126 have been able to continue working remotely.

As of April 8, 122 staff reported that they were ill, self-isolating or undertaking caring duties. Fifty-four of these continued to work from home.

Torfaen

Torfaen has had 709 staff that have self-isolated since the beginning of March.

Of these, 34 have had symptoms of coronavirus and most have now recovered.

Caerphilly

As of April 14, Caerphilly County Borough Council had 382 members of staff self-isolating and 30 absent due to sickness as a result of coronavirus.

There was a further 343 employees absent from work because they fall into a vulnerable group of have to consider childcare.

This total of 755 employees and represented nine per cent of the workforce.

However, the council has said most of these employees are able to work from home.

The highest absence rate was on March 31 where almost 13 percent of the workforce were off.

A council spokesman said: “We are extremely thankful to our workforce for their flexibility at this unprecedented time."