THE Delta variant of coronavirus could peak in Wales as soon as next month, it has been warned.

Speaking at his press conference earlier today, Friday, first minister Mark Drakeford was asked how confident the Welsh Government is that the current forecast for the peak remains for late July.

In response, Mr Drakeford praised the modelling carried out by Swansea University, before saying that they expect the current variant of the deadly virus to peak in this area between June and the end of August, in what he called “the most likely scenario”.

It is estimated that during this time, there will be around 900 extra hospital admissions – solely as a result of the Delta variant.

However, the reasonable worst case scenario forecast could see this number being significantly higher.

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Mr Drakeford said that this variant is between 40 and 80 percent more transmissible than previous variants, including the Alpha and Kent strains of covid.

It is not yet known what impact Wales’s high vaccination rates will have on the peak forecast.

But, in England, it is thought that the increase in cases being seen is largely found in young people who have yet to be double vaccinated.

What did the first minister say?

Speaking to the media at his press conference, first minister Mark Drakeford said: “The latest model suggest cases are expected to peak late next month.

"If this wave follows the same pattern then the model says we can expect to see hospitalisations and deaths peaking in August.

"What we don't know yet is what impact our high rate of vaccination will have.

"The increases in cases of the variant in England have been highest in young people who have not yet been vaccinated and who have more contact with other people.

"That pattern is starting to be seen in Wales.

"Cases among people 60 and over are either static or rising very marginally.

"The rise in the under 25s is accelerating much faster which tells us that here in Wales some of the same patterns we have seen elsewhere is emerging once again.

"For people under 25 the covid rate is 67 per 100,000, and for over 60s it is just nine per 100,000.

"What this may be telling us is that we are seeing the positive impact of the vaccination programme - slowing down the spread of the virus across the age ranges.”