Thank you for following our live coverage of the Welsh Government's weekly coronavirus briefing as Caerphilly county borough becomes the first part of Wales to go under local lockdown measures.

What we learnt today:

• There were 150 new cases of Covid-19 in Wales announced today but no new deaths, according to Public Health Wales
• Caerphilly county has one of the UK's highest Covid-19 rates, with 72.9 cases per 100,000 of the population over the last seven days
• The rates have also increased in Rhondda Cynon Taff and Merthyr
• The increase in Caerphilly has been blamed on "large house parties" and people not socially distancing
• The Welsh Government "will not hesitate" to make wearing face coverings mandatory in shops across Wales if cases continue to rise
• More areas could be placed into lockdown if similar patterns to what has been seen in Caerphilly occur

Follow BBC Wales News on social media or check the website for the very latest updates on coronavirus in Wales.

Caerphilly county borough is the first part of Wales to face extra restrictions in a local lockdown from 18:00 BST tonight.

It follows a spike in coronavirus cases, which Health Minister Vaughan Gething blamed on the breaking down of social distancing.

The area now has one of the UK's highest rates of Covid-19, with 72.9 new cases per 100,000 of the population in the last seven days.

Rhondda Cynon Taff could be “a few days or a week away” from a local lockdown, the leader of the council has said.

Official figures show there were 38.1 cases per 100,000 of the population in the area over the last seven days,

This is second highest rate in Wales, behind Caerphilly county borough where local lockdown measures begin tonight.

Council leader Andrew Morgan said a temporary testing site is due to open in Rhondda Cynon Taff to help them understand what is going on in the community.

He said rather than community transmission it appeared the cases were in clusters, such as in Porth.

“I am concerned - I think the message to the public is we don’t need to panic just yet," Mr Morgan said.

"Personally I think we have a number of days, maybe a week or two, to get on top of this, because if the numbers do continue to grow as we’ve seen in Caerphilly, we do run the risk of a local lockdown."

Nick Hartley
BBC News

While they may be just hours away from a return to lockdown shoppers in Caerphilly have not hesitated to get out and stock up ahead of tonight's deadline.

The high street is busy, shops are open and town centre car parks are full as people continue to go about their business.

There is a visible rise in the wearing of masks. Many shoppers are choosing to wear face coverings ahead of them being implemented in certain situations.

The shift has not been lost on local residents like Roger Williams, who made a last-minute trip to the bank ahead of the rule changes.

"There's more people wearing masks here than there has been in a long, long time" he says. "I can see the difference."

For shopkeepers like Joe Thomas the prospect of another downturn in business is a real threat.

"I think the town will probably collapse unless the government gives businesses more help."

Image source, Getty Images

Nick Triggle
Health Correspondent

The rise in coronavirus cases across the UK has been laid firmly at the door of young people. Around half of new cases in recent weeks have been diagnosed in people in their 20s and 30s.

Significant numbers of cases have also been identified in people in their 40s and 50s, as well as teenagers.

That compares to the early days when most of the confirmed cases were in the older age groups.

But that was because the UK was largely only testing in hospitals. Younger adults are very unlikely to be sick enough to need hospital treatment, so they hardly showed up in the official figures.

If you look at results from antibody testing, to see if they had been exposed to the virus, the younger age groups were just as likely as older groups - if not more - to have been exposed.

So what is happening now appears to be simply a case of the virus re-establishing itself in a group that is the least at risk of serious complications, hence there are no signs of a significant increase in hospitalisations.

Image source, Getty Images

Caerphilly county borough continues to have the highest rate of coronavirus cases in Wales, official figures show.

The rate now stands at 72.9 cases per 100,000 of the population over the last seven days.

Public Health Wales figures show the seven-day rate also increasing in Rhondda Cynon Taff, now standing at 38.1 cases per 100,000.

In Merthyr Tydfil, the rate increased to 34.8.

With only one case in the last seven days, Anglesey has the lowest rate in Wales, with 1.4 cases per 100,000.

All other local authorities reported a case rate of less than 20 per 100,000 of the population in the last seven days.

A further 150 further people have tested positive for coronavirus in Wales, official figures show.

No new deaths were reported to Public Health Wales on Tuesday, meaning the number of people known to have died with Covid-19 remains at 1,597.

Caerphilly county borough had the highest number of confirmed new cases, with 44 positive tests, as it faces extra restrictions from 18:00 BST tonight.

Rhondda Cynon Taff was next with 17 new cases, then Cardiff with 15.

Residents of Caerphilly mostly accept the news the county borough will be placed under a local lockdown with extra restrictions from 18:00 BST tonight.

The Welsh Government “won’t hesitate” to make it mandatory to wear face coverings across Wales if necessary, the health minister has said.

Currently, wearing face coverings in shops is only advised in Wales while it is required by law in England.

But from 18:00 BST tonight, people in Caerphilly county will have to wear coverings in shops as local lockdown measures are introduced.

Health Minister Vaughan Gething said that was due to a “heightened level of community transmission” in Caerphilly “that isn't in evidence in other parts of Wales”.

“Caerphilly is in a different position because of the heightened levels of coronavirus,” he said. .

He added: “I don't want to introduce additional mandatory measures or lockdown measures in other parts of the country.

“If it's necessary though, I won't hesitate to do so.”

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

A director of the UK government's test and trace programme in England has issued a "heartfelt" apology for problems with the coronavirus testing system.

In a tweet, Sarah-Jane Marsh explained it was the laboratories, not the testing sites themselves, that were the "critical pinch-point".

This comes as scientists have sounded the alarm about rising coronavirus cases.

Matt Hancock, health secretary for England, said there had been a "a problem with a couple of contracts" which would take a matter of weeks to be "sorted in the short term".

But he said he had "already put in certain solutions" to make sure people didn't have to travel more than 75 miles for a test.

One example was a woman from Cardiff who was directed to Dundee, more than 300 miles away, when she tried to apply for a test for her two sons who she thought were showing symptoms.

As Caerphilly prepares to go into local lockdown, the health minister has warned other places could follow.

But Vaughan Gething said the Welsh Government did not want "lots of local lockdowns" to have to take place.

He said people should "follow the rules and the guidance" to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

"Don't see lots of people in your own home, don't go to pubs and restaurants mixing with lots of different people," he warned.

"That's how you don't see a return on coronavirus in much larger numbers."

Mr Gething said ministers would look at information received by the Test Trace Protect service to get a better understanding of how coronavirus is spreading.

"If we do need to take further measures then we will not hesitate to do so to help keep Wales safe," he said

Wales' health minister says he recognises the reintroduction of lockdown restrictions in the Caerphilly area will have an impact on businesses there.

However, Vaughan Gething said the decision had to be taken due to a “breakdown of social distancing and people not following the rules”.

Speaking to reporters at the Welsh Government’s press briefing, he said: “I recognise that any form of restriction will have an impact on the way that businesses are able to operate.

“And those people who think that these measures aren't required or have not followed the rules need to recognise the impact that has had in the choice that we have had to make to keep people safe and well."

Mr Gething said he wanted to remove the restrictions as "soon as possible", but it would only happen "when it is safe to do so".

Image source, Getty Images

More local lockdowns could be introduced in Wales if people continue to have large house parties and flout social-distancing rules, Health Minister Vaughan Gething has suggested.

From 18:00 BST today Caerphilly county borough will become the first part of Wales to be subject to additional restrictions.

But Mr Gething warned that the measures showed there were "consequences" for people deliberately flouting rules, by holding large house parties and get-togethers.

"There could be other measures in other parts of Wales if we see the same pattern of events," he warned.

"I want people to sit up and take notice now so we don't need to implement further lockdown measures."

There are still challenges in whether the testing labs can cope with demand, Wales' health minister has claimed.

People in Caerphilly have spoken of three-hour queues to access coronavirus tests, while GPs have warned of people being sent miles from their homes, or being unable to access the testing website.

Vaughan Gething told the weekly Welsh Government press conference that the issues have been raised with officials and health ministers across the UK.

"There's a broader challenge, though, about the UK government-run lighthouse lab testing programme," he said.

"We do know across the whole of the UK there are challenges about the way that programme is running and its ability to cope with demand."

Mr Gething said he was hoping to speak to other health ministers across the UK to get "clarity in the messaging" about tests.

"None of us want to see people being asked to travel large distances which for some people won't be possible," he said.

"We want easy and regular access to those tests, whether they're run by the UK programme as indeed the drive-through centres are in Wales and other parts of the UK, or indeed from the programmes that we run and control here within NHS Wales."

People should not take matters into their own hands if they see people breaking lockdown rules, Wales' health minister has warned.

Vaughan Gething said those with concerns about businesses not following rules should contact the council, while those concerned about individuals should contact the police.

It comes after people were seen crowding outside bars in Cardiff at the weekend.

Mr Gething said "intelligence from the wider community is really important", but people must not get into "conflict" with those breaching rules.

He added that the first action would be for police to "engage" with those people, in the hope they would change their behaviour, and then "enforce" the rules if necessary.

Image source, Getty Images

Where are the hot spots in Wales and what is happening in care homes?

We seem to be bombarded with different measures, but what do they mean and how does Wales compare with other parts of the UK?

Here, we try to answer some of the questions and explain what the different measures are and also give some of the most recent figures.

Health Minister Vaughan Gething says people in Caerphilly need to recognise the "clear and present threat" which coronavirus represents.

Mr Gething said the lockdown measures were a "wake up call" for people.

He said the legal powers were "a back stop" but he expected the police to take action and use the "full force of the law" if the measures were flouted.

People socialising in pubs is not "a factor in transmission" of coronavirus in Caerphilly, the health minister has said.

From 18:00 BST Caerphilly county will be placed in local lockdown, but pubs and bars will remain open.

Vaughan Gething said pubs were not currently the issue, and has said many cases are down to people socialising in homes and at house parties.

But he said he did not want to see pubs becoming "a real factor and potentially have to close either individual businesses or indeed the whole sector" because that would cause "economic harm".

Mr Gething said the Welsh Government was taking "proportionate action where we know transmission is taking place".

Image source, Getty Images

Health Minister Vaughan Gething said Gwent Police had been "clear" they will be policing and enforcing "stay local" rules in Caerphilly.

He said in the past the "great majority of people" had behaved within the rules.

But Mr Gething said police would be looking at the rules and guidance and then policing and enforcing it.

He urged people to follow the rules and not "lead us to a position where enforcement is necessary".

The health minister also reminded people in Caerphilly to "stay local" unless they have a "reasonable excuse to leave or enter".

Communities in Caerphilly county borough "must pull together" to get through local lockdown, Health Minister Vaughan Gething has said.

Restrictions to daily life will be brought in at 18:00 BST today.

Mr Gething said: "I know the introduction of these new rules will be disappointing for people many people living in Caerphilly borough; for some they will be a real inconvenience.

"But I would urge everyone in the borough to please pull together and follow these new guidelines.

"Only by working together can we reduce the spread of coronavirus and protect ourselves and our loved ones".