FORTY-four new cases of coronavirus have been recorded in Caerphilly today, as people across the county borough prepare for the introduction of lockdown restrictions this evening.

The daily tally takes the total of new cases in Caerphilly to more than 150 in a week, with health minister Vaughan Gething saying that the rate of cases per 100,000 in the county borough in that time (72.9) is among the highest in the UK.

The new Caerphilly cases are among 150 across Wales and contribute to a total of 56 recorded in a day in Gwent, where the others are in Newport (eight), Blaenau Gwent (three), and Torfaen (one).

There have also been 17 new cases in Rhondda Cynon Taf, which has now seen 97 cases confirmed in the past week.

The surge in cases in Caerphilly means that, according to Public Health Wales, Gwent has now recorded more than 3,000 cases since the pandemic began.

Again however, there were no new coronavirus-related deaths recorded in Wales - for the fourth day in a row - meaning the total, again according to Public Health Wales, remains at 1,597.

READ MORE:

Sign up to the South Wales Argus daily coronavirus update email newsletter by registering here.

The number of cases confirmed across Wales today are as follows:

Caerphilly - 44

Rhondda Cynon Taf - 17

Cardiff - 15

Merthyr Tydfil - 11

Neath Port Talbot - 11

Newport - eight

Bridgend - eight

Wrexham - six

Swansea - six

Blaeanu Gwent - three

Flintshire - three

Carmarthenshire - three

Conwy - two

Denbighshire - two

Gwynedd - two

Vale of Glamorgan - two

Powys - two

Torfaen - one

Ceredigion - one

Pembrokeshire - one

Public Health Wales figures for coronavirus deaths include only those that have been confirmed by a laboratory test. The Office for National Statistics - which counts all deaths in which coronavirus is mentioned on the death certificate - puts the number of deaths in Wales much higher.