FURTHER coronavirus restrictions remain on the table should cases continue to rise across the country.

That is according to first minister Mark Drakeford, speaking earlier today during the Welsh Government's coronavirus update briefing.

Mr Drakeford said that his message today was a serious one, speaking against a background of rising covid rates.

Cases, he said, had been rising across the UK, but Wales had the highest of all.

There have also been signs of a new, potentially more transmissable Delta Variant, here in Wales.

"At the start of October," he said, "we had hoped we would be past the peak of the Delta wave.

"Three weeks ago cases began to fall back according to the model. In reality they have risen sharply."

READ MORE:

The cases in the last few days have been the highest in the whole of the pandemic.

"The next few weeks are all about getting back on track with the model and seeing cases fall across Wales," Mr Drakeford said.

Alert level zero has been in place in Wales since the beginning of August.

Mr Drakeford said he wanted to keep Wales open and safe - and that the country will need everybody's help to ensure this happens.

"If rates continue to rise rather than fall, the cabinet will have to consider raising the alert level and reinstating some restrictions at the next review," he said.

"None of us want these restrictions."

The next three weeks would prove "vital" according to the first minister.

"Cases are too high, and we need to work together to bring them under control," he said.

"We've done it before and we wil do it again."