Image source, Getty Images

A further 563 patients with coronavirus have died across the UK, taking the total number of deaths in hospitals to 2,352.

The Department of Health said 29,474 people have tested positive for the virus, up 4,324 since Tuesday.

It comes as No 10 confirmed more than 2,000 NHS frontline staff in England had been tested for coronavirus since the outbreak began.

Hundreds have been screened since the weekend in a push to get healthy self-isolating medics back to work.

Cabinet Office Minister Michael Gove said a shortage of chemicals needed for the tests meant the NHS - which employs 1.2m in England - could not screen its staff for the virus.

There were 274 new confirmed cases of coronavirus in Wales, taking the total number to 1,837, according to today's update from Public Health Wales (PHW).

Aneurin Bevan in south east Wales emains the health board area with the highest number of cases with 681 while Powys has the lowest at 29.

While today's total daily increase of cases is larger than many previously reported, PHW has stressed that this figure includes "a combination of a true increase in numbers, along with additional cases reported from the previous reporting period".

A driver lied to police by telling an officer he was in Newtown, Powys, after going to visit his dying grandmother in a Birmingham hospital, Dyfed-Powys Police said.

The force's officers in Newtown also said they had stopped three people who had travelled from Yorkshire to buy a car.

It warned others against unnecessary travel.

Today's daily number of reported deaths of patients with coronavirus in Wales - 29 - was the highest yet.

However, Public Health Wales explained that this figure, unlike those previously announced, was a combination of a "true increase in numbers, along with additional cases reported from the previous reporting period".

That is because the new figure includes deaths in the community.

A letter sent to patients with life-limiting illnesses asking them to complete a "do not resuscitate" form was "shameful and unacceptable", the older people's commissioner for Wales has said.

A letter from Llynfi Surgery, Maesteg, asks people to sign to ensure emergency services would not be called if their condition worsened due to coronavirus.

The surgery has now apologised after a public backlash.

Heléna Herklots said: “Many of those who will have received the letter will no doubt have been left feeling worthless, that their lives do not matter and will have felt significant pressure to sign a DNACPR form.

"This is shameful and unacceptable.

“Whilst difficult and painful decisions will need to be made in the weeks ahead, these must be taken on a case-by-case basis," she added.

Image source, Carers UK

Ernest and Eileen Roberts are not letting the coronavirus outbreak spoil their platinum wedding anniversary today.

The couple, both 95, of Cadole, Flintshire, were married on this day back in 1950 before a week’s honeymoon in Rhyl.

Plans for a family celebration have been scuppered by the outbreak but they have been delighted with cards and phone calls, and have been waving to many of their three daughters, seven grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren through their window.

“We are very pleased and very proud about reaching this anniversary,” said Mr Roberts, who served with the Royal Signals in Italy during World War Two.

“The wedding day was quite a long way back but it’s gone quite quickly.”

Image source, Family photo

Daughter Lynda Layfield said the current lockdown would not spoil the special occasion.

“As a family we are so proud of them, and to reach 70 years of marriage is remarkable,” she said.

“We all live locally and have always been a close family, so we will get together after the crisis and have a party.”

Plaid Cymru AM Delyth Jewell says Wales needs more coronavirus tests to reflect the number of cases seen in the country.

She was speaking after Health Minister Vaughan Gething told BBC Radio Wales the nation would "get a population share" of the UK tests.

Twenty-nine more people have died in Wales after being diagnosed with Covid-19.

Public Health Wales said it means a total of 98 people have now died.

It said there had been 274 new cases, bringing the total to 1,837.

"Today’s increase reflects a combination of a true increase in numbers, along with additional cases reported from the previous reporting period," said PHW incident director Dr Robin Howe.

The Welsh Government has shared Childline guidance on helping children understand the crisis.

Cereal maker Kellogg’s is trying to recruit workers at its Wrexham factory due to an increase in demand.

Site leader Sam Bistiaux said: “We have an amazingly dedicated team here at our Wrexham factory who are doing a fantastic job keeping things going.

"But, as demand increases, so does our need for great people."

The firm said any surplus food is being donated to charities with three articulated lorry loads sent this week.

Parc y Scarlets in Llanelli is being rapidly turned into a temporary field hospital that will accommodate 500 beds.

A picture tweeted by the team reveals that 10 days into the refit the hospital is taking shape.

Parc y Scarlets is one of several rugby grounds in Wales being converted to help in the fight against coronavirus.

An intensive care consultant says her unit has "already surged beyond our standard capacity" and is "full of 20, 30 and 40-year-olds" being treated for coronavirus.

Dr Ami Jones, from the Royal Gwent Hospital in Newport, told ITV News: "It's not just the vulnerable and elderly that are getting poorly.

"I've got ITU (intensive care unit) patients on my ward who were previously fit and well so if you think it's not going to affect you, and you can just go out and do what you want, then you are wrong.

"You will end up in ITU, if you are not careful."

Dr Jones added: "Everybody is working really hard, being very professional.

"We are giving good patient care and I feel reassured what we are delivering to patients is of the highest standard. I hope we are able to continue doing that as patient numbers increase."

Dr Jones, who was appointed an MBE in 2017, is also director of the EMRTS flying doctor service in Wales and a lieutenant colonel in the Army Medical Corps.

A decision on whether a new nuclear power station can be built on Anglesey has been delayed until later in the year.

UK Business Secretary Alok Sharma was due to make a decision on the application for Wylfa Newydd by yesterday, but that deadline has been moved to 30 September, after being initially due last October.

The application is still being considered by the UK government, even though the developer behind the proposals, Horizon Nuclear Power, suspended work on the project in January 2019.

A statement, external from the Planning Inspectorate said more time was required to allow the minister to "complete his consideration in respect of environmental effects and other issues"

Image source, Horizon Nuclear Power

Work to switch eight Swansea city centre roads, including the Kingsway, from one-way traffic to two-way has been postponed because of the coronavirus outbreak.

The work had been due to start on Sunday 5 April.

The layout of the Kingsway has been criticised in recent years following two deaths and a number of injuries.

Swansea Council said the crisis meant a number of important new road signs and other materials could not be supplied.

Council leader Rob Stewart said: “We spoke at length with suppliers and contractors and it was clear that the emerging position meant the switch should be rescheduled.

“The Kingsway and its neighbouring roads have been used safely in their present layout and this should remain the case for the remainder of the coronavirus situation. The city centre remains accessible for those who need to be there.”

The wife of a firefighter who is seriously ill in hospital has written an emotional post on Facebook.

Nurse Becky Landon said her husband Stephen had spent the last few days in and out of intensive care after being diagnosed with Covid-19.

Mrs Landon, from Wrexham, wrote: "A big thank you to everyone that has continued to pray and support us in this fight against Covid-19..."Steve deteriorated further in the night and has moved back onto ITU. He is currently on CPAP which is a pressurised oxygen mask. He is being closely monitored as he is so tired now. If he continues to struggle he will be put onto a ventilator so he can rest."I know there are an army of people praying and believing he will fight this. If you believe in prayer then please say a prayer for him today."Come on Stephen - you've got this! Me and the kids are here waiting for you for when you get home. Our superhero."

Local authorities have been advised to honour contracts supply teachers have with individual schools or councils, Wales' education minister told the daily Welsh Government news conference

There have been concerns supply teachers have been falling through the gaps in financial support during the coronavirus crisis.

Kirsty Williams said ministers had written to all agencies that are part of a supply agency network across Wales asking them to support their staff via the furlough scheme for workers who are available for work but cannot do so.

In 2019 there were about 4,700 registered supply teachers in Wales, according to the education workforce regulator the EWC.

Wales' education minister had told parents to "be kind to yourself and your children".

She told a Welsh Government briefing: "Please don't stress and do what is right for you and what is right for you children".

Many parents have been home-schooling after schools closed to all apart from vulnerable children and the children of key workers.

The coronavirus outbreak could peak at different times in different parts of Wales, according to Wales' education minister.

Kirsty Williams told a press conference it was “too early” to make accurate predictions about what will happen.

She said: “It’s absolutely clear from advice we are receiving from the chief medical officer that the actions of the Welsh people are making a difference.

“The sacrifices and the inconveniences that people are putting up with at that time is flattening the curve.

“And it is helping to save lives and it is ensuring that our NHS can respond.

“We will have to wait and see whether the continuation of these measures - and it’s absolutely crucial that people carry on doing what they can to socially distance and isolate themselves - will be having an effect on the peak of the disease progression in Wales, but we’re also absolutely clear that at this stage it’s too early to be able to make accurate predictions about what will happen next.

“And it should be anticipated that as the disease progresses we could see different peaks in different parts of Wales.”

Wales' education minister said the number of children going to school had seen “a pretty steady take up".

"This is running to about 3,500 children, which is approximately 1% of the school population,” she told the Welsh Government's daily briefing.

Kirsty Williams also paid tribute to Welsh universities and colleges who she said were "at the forefront" of tackling the coronavirus outbreak by deploying doctors and nurses and also taking part in research.

"There isn't a single university in Wales that isn't adding value to tackling this coronavirus," she told the Welsh Government's daily briefing.