Image source, Betsi Cadwaladr health board

A spike in coronavirus cases in a Welsh county is being monitored "very carefully" but a local lockdown is not yet being considered, Wales' chief medical officer has said.

Frank Atherton said transmission in Wrexham appeared to be stable and any lockdown would be a "last step".

Wrexham Maelor Hospital is now dealing with 63 cases.

The majority of those confirmed over the past few days have been caught in the community, according to Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board.

There have been 54 cases in the last week in Wrexham - 40% of all positive tests in Wales.

The case rate of 39.7 per 100,000 people is one of only two Welsh local council areas which has a rise in double figures, according to PHW.

Apart from Oldham - which has imposed local lockdown measures - Wrexham has also seen one of the biggest increases across local council areas across Wales and England.

About 400 people in Wrexham were tested for Covid-19 on the first day of two mobile testing centres operating on Wednesday.

Both deaths reported by Public Health Wales on Thursday were in the Betsi Cadwaladr health board area, which includes Wrexham.

The rules on how many people can meet outdoors in Wales will be eased next week, the Welsh Government has announced.

Since early June outdoor meetings have been restricted to just two households.

But from Monday groups of up to 30 can meet, and it will not matter how many households they are from.

It is one of a package of measures in First Minister Mark Drakeford's latest review of Wales' coronavirus restrictions, to be announced later.

Children under 11 will no longer have to maintain a 2m distance from each other or from adults from Monday, because of lower rates of transmission in their age group.

Indoor bowling alleys, auction houses and bingo halls will be able to resume trading the same day, alongside indoor pubs, restaurants and cafes.

Image source, Getty Images

Good morning and welcome to BBC Wales' live coverage of the very latest updates on the easing of the coronavirus lockdown in Wales.

Your top stories this morning:

• Up to 30 people can meet outdoors from Monday as lockdown rules are eased further by the Welsh Government. Outdoor meetings had been restricted to just two households but up to 30 will be able to meet and it won't matter how many households they are from
• Children under 11 will no longer have to maintain a 2m distance from people from Monday because of lower rates of transmission in their age group.
• indoor pubs, restaurants and cafes will be able to reopen indoors from Monday as will indoor bowling alleys, auction houses and bingo halls
• An announcement on when gyms in Wales will reopen is expected today as First Minister Mark Drakeford is "very keen" for them to reopen
• Two more people that have died with coronavirus in Wales was reported by Public Health Wales on Thursday, bringing Wales' death toll to 1,556 people
• The risk of a coronavirus second wave is "absolutely real" First Minister Mark Drakeford has warned
• Meanwhile, parts of northern England have had more severe lockdown restrictions imposed on them again after a spike in Covid-19 cases.

Image source, Getty Images