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Merthyr Tydfil is likely one of the 4 areas impacted by the brand new guidelines
4 extra counties in south Wales will go into lockdown from 18:00 BST on Tuesday, that means greater than 1 / 4 of the Welsh inhabitants will likely be underneath tighter restrictions.
Merthyr Tydfil, Bridgend, Blaenau Gwent and Newport could have the identical restrictions as Rhondda Cynon Taf.
Individuals will be unable to enter or depart these areas apart from a restricted variety of exemptions, similar to work.
Licensed premises like pubs might want to shut by 23:00 each night time.
The pub rule can even prolonged to Caerphilly county borough, which was put underneath native restrictions final week.
Individuals will solely be capable of meet others not in their very own family open air – conferences with folks from their prolonged households will likely be banned within the 4 areas.
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The brand new measures have an effect on 431,00zero folks and means greater than 850,00zero folks in Wales are underneath native lockdown, with restrictions introduced in to Caerphilly county borough and Rhondda Cynon Taf earlier in September.
Well being Minister Vaughan Gething mentioned Monday’s extension adopted rises in Covid-19 instances within the 4 counties.
At a press convention Mr Gething mentioned he would maintain “an pressing assembly” on Tuesday with all councils, well being boards and police forces in south Wales.
It is going to talk about the broader regional state of affairs and whether or not additional measures are wanted.
Earlier, senior UK authorities advisers warned of a “six-month downside” of rising instances and doubtlessly 50,00zero new deaths.
Mr Gething mentioned he couldn’t “definitively” give a timescale of how lengthy lockdown measures can be wanted.
He mentioned “all-Wales” measure could also be wanted to deal with the virus.
However Mr Gething mentioned such motion could also be wanting the total lockdown imposed on 23 March.
What does native lockdown imply?
Should you reside in one of many six counties affected, the foundations imply you can’t go to or depart the areas affected and not using a “affordable excuse”.
That may embody:
- For work, when you can’t make money working from home
- For schooling
- For getting necessities like meals or drugs
- To supply or obtain emergency help
- To satisfy a authorized obligation, and to entry or obtain public companies
- To keep away from harm or sickness or escape a threat of hurt
Motorists can proceed to make use of the M4 and different main roads – you may drive out and in of the areas so long as you don’t cease.
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Newport is seeing a “widespread of instances”, Mr Gething mentioned
A name between Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Wales’ First Minister Mark Drakeford is predicted to happen on Monday afternoon.
Mr Gething mentioned it might be the case that UK-wide measures can be taken, including the decision can be a “useful step ahead”.
The well being minister mentioned the incidence charge in Merthyr Tydfil was excessive, however instances gave the impression to be primarily targeted round two distinct clusters, linked to a big employer and a pub.
What is occurring within the 4 areas?
Bridgend was a “rising concern”, the minister mentioned, as a result of there had been a pointy rise in instances in a brief area of time.
“We’ve got recognized a small variety of clusters in Bridgend borough, however we’re fearful the sample is just like what we now have seen in Rhondda Cynon Taf”.
Newport is seeing “a large unfold of instances throughout town, which aren’t linked to a specific cluster or exhibiting hyperlinks with current instances”.
In Blaenau Gwent, Mr Gething mentioned there had been instances linked to pubs and an absence of social distancing however there have additionally been instances in care house employees and in secondary faculties within the space.