Coronavirus: Playgrounds, outdoor gyms and funfairs to reopen

Mark Drakeford said 21,000 people were tested for the virus last weekend and 0.25% came back as positive

Playgrounds, community centres and outdoor gyms will open in Wales from Monday, it has been confirmed.

The First Minister Mark Drakeford also announced funfairs will be able to invite visitors back.

It comes as he revealed just 0.25% of 21,000 people tested for Covid-19 last weekend came back as positive.

"A tiny proportion of people tested in Wales are turning out to have coronavirus," he said.

Addressing the final daily coronavirus briefing on Friday, he added: "We continue to look carefully at the latest medical and scientific evidence and the current state of the virus as we make decisions to unlock our society and economy," he said.

"With rates of the virus in Wales continuing to fall, we are able to carry on with our gradual, step-by-step lifting of the restrictions."

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Neath Port Talbot Council said it would not reopen its playgrounds until 27 July.

It said when they do reopen only one adult will be allowed to accompany children at a time and no food or drink will be permitted.

On Thursday it was announced that those most at risk from coronavirus can stop shielding after 16 August.

Wales' Chief Medical Officer Dr Frank Atherton told the Welsh Government's daily briefing that about 130,000 people in Wales with underlying health conditions had been advised to stay indoors since the start of the pandemic to protect themselves.

Speaking earlier on BBC Radio Wales Breakfast, Mr Drakeford said the recent test results had allowed the pause on advice to shielders: "That's why the chief medical officer has concluded that it is now safe for people with those additional medical conditions to begin to gradually and carefully resume some of the activities that have been denied to them for all these weeks."

On Thursday, for the fifth day in the last 10 no deaths with Covid-19 were announced in Wales.

The total number of deaths remains at 1,545 and to date16,871 people have tested positive for Covid-19.

Public Health Wales figures show the highest number of deaths occurred on the 9 and 13 of April with 43 people dying with Covid-19 on each of these days.

Where are we now on lockdown in Wales?

Asked if he had more "headroom" to announce further relaxations to lockdown restrictions, he said: "I don't think so. We continue to move in our careful step-by-step way, coronavirus has not gone away."

He also warned the daily briefing: "We could find our hard work quickly undone unless we all go on playing our part, every day, and in every way we can, to keep Wales safe."

Lockdown measures have been in place in Wales since March

The Welsh Government has already set out plans for campsites and other accommodation with shared facilities to reopen from 25 July.

Close contact services, such as beauty salons, tattoo shops and nail parlours, are due to restart on 27 July.

The viewing of occupied homes for rent or sale will be allowed and cinemas, museums and galleries can also reopen on 27 July.

Pubs, cafes, restaurants and bars are due to resume business indoors in Wales from 3 August.