Parts of South Wales put under local lockdown after surge in coronavirus cases

Bridgend, Merthyr Tydfil, Newport and Blaenau Gwent will be placed under a local lockdown from 6pm on Tuesday following an increase in coronavirus cases, the Welsh Government has announced.

Health minister Vaughan Gething said there had been a “worrying and rapid rise” in cases of Covid-19 in the four areas.

Under the measures, which come into force at 6pm on Tuesday, people must not enter or leave the areas without a reasonable excuse.

People are only able to meet outdoors and are unable to meet members of their extended household indoors. All licensed premises will have to close at 11pm.

Mr Gething said many of the coronavirus cases had been linked to people socialising indoors without physical distancing.

“We are seeing evidence of coronavirus spreading,” Mr Gething told a press conference in Cardiff.

“We need to take action to control and, ultimately, reduce its spread and protect people’s health.

“It’s always a difficult decision to introduce restrictions but coronavirus has not gone away – it is still circulating in communities across Wales and, as we are seeing in parts of South Wales, small clusters can quickly cause real issues in local communities.”

The Welsh Government will call an urgent meeting of all local authority, health board and police forces from Bridgend to the English border on Tuesday.

This will discuss “the wider situation in south Wales and whether further measures are needed across the region”, the government said.

Last week, Caerphilly county borough and Rhondda Cynon Taf were also placed under local lockdown.

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