THE NUMBER of coronavirus cases at Wrexham Maelor Hospital has jumped to "between 60 and 70", Betsi Cadwaladr Health Board has confirmed.

The Leader reported last week that the number of people hospitalised at Wrexham Maelor with coronavirus was upwards of 40.

And as of Monday (July 27) this figure has now climbed to "between 60 and 70", Betsi Cadwaladr has confirmed to the Leader.

It comes amid a plea by the health board for people to avoid using Wrexham Maelor Hospital's A+E department unless absolutely necessary as the number of cases there grows.

And local politicians are now calling for greater transparency over the recent spike in coronavirus cases in the area, with Wrexham recently placed second on a list of the ten local authority areas with the highest estimates of symptomatic coronavirus in the last week.