The Rhondda Valley

[AtW]

“ The latest figures show that Rhondda Cynon Taf's positive test rate is 610 cases per 100,000 of the population. In total, 1,466 people have tested positive in a population of 240,000 and 224 people have died. It has the highest mortality rate in Wales at 93.28 deaths per 100,000, and one of the highest in the UK.

Chris Bryant, the Labour MP for the area, said: “Rhondda is the worst in the country. We are the worst, worst, worst.” Only Barrow-in-Furness, in Cumbria, another former mining community, but with a much smaller population has more proportionally more cases - 823.7 positive tests per 100,000.”

Welsh coal towns' death rate double England's average as MP blames conspiracy theorists for flouting lockdown

[Old Greg]

“ The latest figures show that Rhondda Cynon Taf's positive test rate is 610 cases per 100,000 of the population. In total, 1,466 people have tested positive in a population of 240,000 and 224 people have died. It has the highest mortality rate in Wales at 93.28 deaths per 100,000, and one of the highest in the UK.

Chris Bryant, the Labour MP for the area, said: “Rhondda is the worst in the country. We are the worst, worst, worst.” Only Barrow-in-Furness, in Cumbria, another former mining community, but with a much smaller population has more proportionally more cases - 823.7 positive tests per 100,000.”

Welsh coal towns' death rate double England's average as MP blames conspiracy theorists for flouting lockdown

Barrow apparently had an early, effective and comprehensive testing strategy.

[psychocandy]

“ The latest figures show that Rhondda Cynon Taf's positive test rate is 610 cases per 100,000 of the population. In total, 1,466 people have tested positive in a population of 240,000 and 224 people have died. It has the highest mortality rate in Wales at 93.28 deaths per 100,000, and one of the highest in the UK.

Chris Bryant, the Labour MP for the area, said: “Rhondda is the worst in the country. We are the worst, worst, worst.” Only Barrow-in-Furness, in Cumbria, another former mining community, but with a much smaller population has more proportionally more cases - 823.7 positive tests per 100,000.”

Welsh coal towns' death rate double England's average as MP blames conspiracy theorists for flouting lockdown

Now being born and bred in that area I feel its ok for me to comment... (BTW its Rhondda Cyon Taff because of the names of the 3 river valleys that make up the area).

Despite a lot of it being pretty close to Cardiff (30-60 mins train) its like a different world. I've not lived there for 20 years - part of the reason is its like living in the dark ages. Attitudes are set in stone, things never progress or modernise. There is a lot of resistance to anything that is out of the ordinary. There are a LOT of ignorant people in this area (like I said I'm allowed - I was born and bred in sight of the Taff).

I'll be honest, I'm not surprised. Theres a massive culture of "we know better". The hatred for a Tory government in this area is like nothing you'll ever see so that does not help. People will assume Boris is trying to kill off the working classes. Theres a saying that you could put up a three legged red donkey for parliament in this area and it'd still get 10 times more votes than the conservatives. Not far wrong...