Hywel Dda Health Board will meet this week to discuss its response to the coronavirus pandemic.

The agenda is reviewing and ratifying decisions taken since March 9 as the health board responds to the coronavirus pandemic, working on a ‘reasonable worst case’ scenario.

This forecasts an 80 per cent infection rate for the Hywel Dda population, mitigated by 66 per cent by the expected impact of social distancing and other measures.

March 16 was classed as week four with the predicted local peak, presented in the model, expected in week 13 – around mid May – which has a 1,964 potential cases requiring hospital treatment predicted, without taking into account non Covid 19 patients.

A report outlining the model, plans and decisions taken is due to be discussed by the health board at an extraordinary meeting on Thursday (April 16), which will not be open to the public due to coronavirus restrictions.

Latest modelling data gives an early sign that the peak may be lower however the clear instruction from Welsh Government at the time of writing this paper has been to continue to plan on the basis the above numbers.

Hywel Dda’s development of field hospitals has been highlighted with a shortfall of around 400 beds remaining – with the assessed need around 1,400 – although the nine locations with new provision will result in 1,035 more additional beds.

These include 93 beds at Carmarthen Leisure Centre, 143 at the Selwyn Samuel Centre, nearly 400 at the Parc y Scarlets stadium and Barn, 48 at Cardigan Leisure Centre, 57 at Penweddig School and 128 at Bluestone.

The Carmarthenshire sites are being developed first and Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire to follow.