Welsh face lockdowns

NEARLY half a million people across South Wales face local lockdowns 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 Bridgend, Merthyr Tydfil, Newport and Blaenau Gwent, which have a combined population of about 430,000.

From 6pm tonight, people must not enter or leave the areas without a reasonable excuse. People can only meet outdoors and are unable to meet members of their “extended household” indoors. Licensed premises will have to close at 11pm.

Mr Gething blamed “people socialising indoors without social distancing”.