Summary

  • Pubs, cafes and restaurants in Wales will have to shut at 22:00 every night under new measures to control the rising rate of coronavirus

  • People across Wales have been asked to only make "necessary journeys" ahead of hundreds of thousands going into local restrictions

  • Prime Minister Boris Johnson has told MPs the UK has reached "a perilous turning point" in the pandemic

  • Four more council areas - Newport, Bridgend, Blaenau Gwent and Merthyr Tydfil - now have extra restrictions

  • They follow Caerphilly county borough and Rhondda Cynon Taf which are already in local lockdown

  • Another eight council areas are being monitored for possible extra restrictions

  • A further 281 cases of coronavirus have been reported, Public Health Wales said on Tuesday

Live Reporting

Nicholas Bourne and Richard Porter

  1. School closes for two weeks due to numbers self-isolating

    Local Democracy Reporting Service

    A primary school in Blaenau Gwent will be closed to all pupils for two weeks because of a high number of school staff self-isolating.

    Ystruth Primary School in Blaina has seen two positive cases of coronavirus, but Blaenau Gwent council bosses said the reason for the closure was the number of staff self-isolating rather than a spread of the virus.

    Council bosses said in a statement: “After working to explore all possible options, and in consideration of the fact that the safety and wellbeing of all pupils and staff is of paramount importance, on the advice of the Local Authority, it has been decided that the school will temporarily close."

    Pupils will continue their lessons online, the council said.

  2. Worries over tourism from England 'lockdown' areas

    Concerns over lockdown tourism are being fuelled as visitors from areas of England with high Covid-19 levels are allowed to holiday in Wales.

    People on local lockdown in south Wales need a "reasonable excuse" to leave their local authority area.

    However, those under similar restrictions in parts of England can still go on holiday.

    Sian Gwenllian, Plaid Cymru member of the Senedd (MS) for Arfon, in Gwynedd, said tensions could rise in communities over a fear of visitors spreading the virus.

    "It makes no sense to me that people in places like Liverpool, Manchester and Birmingham under local restrictions can travel as they wish on their holiday to parts of north Wales and risk spreading the virus," she said.

    The Welsh Government said: "The measures in England are a matter for the UK government."

    Worm's Head, RhossiliGetty Images

    People from lockdown areas of England are still allowed to visit places like Rhossili on Gower

  3. Lockdown looms for four council areas in Wales

    Coronavirus restrictions are being increased in four more council areas from 18:00 BST following a rise in the number of cases.

    Bridgend, Newport, Blaenau Gwent and Merthyr Tydfil will join Rhondda Cynon Taf and Caerphilly in local lockdowns.

    People are not allowed to leave or enter the areas from outside without a good reason.

    These include travelling to work (if it is not possible to work from home), education, healthcare and essential shopping and legal matters.

    Pubs and licensed premises in all areas will also have to close at 23:00.

    Case rates have risen steeply in the new lockdown areas, with Merthyr Tydfil on a rate of 102.8 per 100,000 people by Monday.

    Graphic showing local lockdown rules in parts of Wales

  4. Hello and welcome

    Good morning and welcome to our live coverage of the latest coronavirus developments in Wales and the wider UK.

    Here are some of the main stories so far:

    • Four more council areas are heading for local lockdowns from 18:00 BST, with Merthyr Tydfil, Newport, Bridgend and Blaenau Gwent joining Rhondda Cynon Taf and Caerphilly in having extra restrictions
    • Eight other areas are being monitored as the number of cases in Wales rise - Cardiff, the Vale of Glamorgan, Carmarthenshire, Swansea, Anglesey, Conwy, Denbighshire and Flintshire
    • First Minister Mark Drakeford is in a Cobra meeting this morning with Prime Minister Boris Johnson and the Scottish and Northern Irish leaders to discuss the coronavirus situation around the UK
    • Mr Johnson announced a tightening of restrictions in England on Monday, with pubs to be ordered to close at 22:00 BST from Thursday
    • He will reveal more details to Parliament this afternoon, and address the nation in a live TV broadcast at 20:00 BST this evening