Summary

  • Dr Meirion Evans, who advises Wales' chief medical officer, says visiting family members is "important for society"

  • Ten more people with coronavirus are reported to have died in Wales, taking the total to 1,466

  • The number of weekly deaths involving coronavirus in Wales has fallen to the lowest number since the end of March

  • There were 100 deaths involving Covid-19 registered in the week ending 5 June

  1. Five mile rule only 'guidance'published at 12:54 British Summer Time 17 June 2020

    Ms Morgan says there is a “degree of flexibility” around the five-mile travel guidance for people living in rural areas.

    She was responding to a question about when the Welsh government would revisit the guidance, which currently advises people in not to travel outside of a five-mile limit to meet with other people.

    There have been calls to relax the measure, especially in rural areas.

    She said: “We absolutely understand that local in a rural area means something very different from local in an urban area and that's why we have provided that degree of flexibility."

    She added it was only “guidance” and was not “necessarily written into the regulations”.

    She says the Welsh government will make some further decisions on Friday, when the next lockdown review is announced.

  2. 'Do not travel' warning to football fanspublished at 12:49 British Summer Time 17 June 2020

    Ms Morgan urged Cardiff City and Swansea City football fans not to travel to matches and to stay away from stadiums.

    Next weekend, the Championship will resume and both Swansea and Cardiff will be playing, albeit behind closed doors with the matches shown on TV.

    Swansea, who have four remaining games at home, begin the restart at Middlesbrough on 20 June while Cardiff, who have five games at home, host Leeds on 21 June.

    "I know many sports fans have been eagerly awaiting the day when competitive football would return," the minister said.

    "Fans are advised not to travel and stay away from football grounds – they certainly will not be admitted to matches."

    Swansea fans celebrateImage source, Getty Images
  3. Ministers speaking to other countries about restarting economypublished at 12:44 British Summer Time 17 June 2020

    Ms Morgan says the Welsh government is talking to other countries and administrations in order to "share information and discuss new ways of supporting sectors and industries which have been particularly affected by coronavirus".

    She says the United Arab Emirates had provided a "sector-by-sector analysis" on restarting the economy, including the rules and regulations which need to be in place to reopen retail.

    The Basque government had shared health and safety information on safe workplaces.

    On tourism, she says the Welsh government will meet with counterparts from Brittany this week to discuss how to support the sector and safe re-opening.

    She says there have also been talks with the New Zealand government about education and tourism, with further talks planned to discuss the impact of the pandemic.

    Eluned Morgan
  4. Cautious easing of lockdown measures 'prudent'published at 12:41 British Summer Time 17 June 2020

    The Welsh government is closely monitoring the impact of lifting coronavirus lockdown measures on mainland Europe as it considers easing restrictions here, Ms Morgan said.

    Speaking at the daily coronavirus briefing, she said ministerial advisers had published a paper which showed that releasing lockdown measures had not resulted in a rapid rise in the Covid-19 reproduction rate - the so-called R rate - in many European countries.

    Ms Morgan said in most countries the R rate had stayed below one, "but there are some strong hints from France, which suggest that as more measures are eased, the R may be rising".

    "The experience from Europe would tell us a cautious approach to further unlocking measures would be prudent," she told the briefing.

  5. Welsh government daily briefing set to beginpublished at 12:24 British Summer Time 17 June 2020

    The Welsh government's daily coronavirus briefing is due to start at 12:30 BST.

    It will be given by International Relations Minister Eluned Morgan.

    We'll give you the main updates here - you can also watch the proceedings on BBC One Wales, via the BBC iPlayer, and via the Coronavirus Daily Update video link above.

    Eluned Morgan
  6. UK government 'has given-up on a science-led approach'published at 12:20 British Summer Time 17 June 2020

    The UK government has "given-up" on a "science-led approach" to coronavirus, a Welsh Labour minister has claimed.

    Lee Waters said ministers in Westminster have made announcements at their daily press conferences without thinking them through.

    It is some of the strongest criticism of the UK government's strategy from the Welsh government.

    Under the laws being used to enforce lockdown, rules in England are set by the Conservative UK government, while the lockdown in Wales is the responsibility of the Labour-led Welsh Government.

    The latter's cabinet is due to discuss its next steps, with an announcement due on Friday. First Minister Mark Drakeford has said it could include news for non-essential retail.

    Lee Waters
  7. The Premier League is back - but not as you know itpublished at 12:04 British Summer Time 17 June 2020

    Montage of football playersImage source, Getty Images

    It's a good day for football fans - England's top flight Premier League is back.

    After a 100-day absence, Aston Villa v Sheffield United will kick off in the evening, the first of 92 league games that will be packed into a frantic 40 days before the season concludes on 26 July.

    But what's changed?

    Well, all matches are behind closed doors for starters with just 300 staff, players, coaches and journalists allowed inside the stadium.

    Teams are now able to make five substitutions, rather than three, in each match and able to name nine substitutes instead of the usual seven.

    And there won't be handshakes between players and post-match interviews will be pitchside rather than in the tunnel.

    Read more from our colleagues at BBC Sport here.

  8. UK inflation rate at fresh four-year low as fuel prices slumppublished at 11:51 British Summer Time 17 June 2020

    A record fall in fuel prices, including petrol, pushed the UK's inflation rate down to 0.5% in May, the second full month of the coronavirus lockdown.

    Fuel prices declined by 16.7% during the month, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said, dragging the Consumer Prices Index to the lowest level since June 2016.

    Clothing and footwear prices also fell.

    Supermarkets were among the few shops allowed to open in May and food prices rose, the ONS said.

    Contribution to inflation
  9. Cancer campaign urges people to seek helppublished at 11:35 British Summer Time 17 June 2020

    People with possible cancer symptoms are being urged not to put off getting them checked out as part of a new campaign by the Welsh government.

    One health board said cancer referrals were down by two-thirds, which it attributed to people's fears of visiting hospitals or GPs.

    Charities have also warned of a future cancer "timebomb" due to a disruption to services caused by the pandemic.

    The Welsh government said it had a strategy to "meet pressures".

    Dr Dr Sarah Gwynne works at Singleton Hospital's cancer unit in SwanseaImage source, SWANSEA BAY HEALTH BOARD
  10. Wales' five-mile travel advice review callpublished at 11:21 British Summer Time 17 June 2020

    The five-mile travel guidance in Wales should be "reviewed" according to a government coronavirus adviser.

    Dr Meirion Evans, who advises Wales' chief medical officer, says "the purpose of the journey rather than the distance" should be considered.

    He told the BBC journeys such as visiting family members are "important for society".

    Opposition politicians say people need to travel further than five miles in rural areas.

    More than 14,000 people have signed a petition calling on ministers to relax the guidance, introduced at the end of May.

    The Welsh Government says the limit is a "general rule" rather than law - with Labour First Minister Mark Drakeford suggesting last week there were "no immediate plans to lift the stay-local message in Wales".

    People social distancing on Llandudno promenadeImage source, Getty Images
  11. Good morningpublished at 11:11 British Summer Time 17 June 2020

    Good morning and welcome to our live coverage of how the global coronavirus pandemic is affecting Wales. The main headlines today are:

    A man wears a Welsh flag facemaskImage source, Getty Images