Highest number of new Covid deaths since May as 1,324 test positive in Wales

A further 1,324 people have also tested positive for the virus. Credit: PA Images

A further 16 people have died with Covid-19 in Wales - the highest number of new deaths recorded since May.

Public Health Wales figures show 1,324 people have also tested positive for the virus within the last 24 hours.

The same number of deaths were recorded on 28 May, with 19 being the highest number before that on 7 May. The total number of deaths in Wales now stands at 1,772.

It comes on the first full day of Wales' fire-break lockdown, which began at 6pm on Friday and will last 17 days.

Wales has entered a 17-day lockdown which bans people from non-essential travel. Credit: PA Images

Under the measures, people have be asked to stay at home and to leave only for a limited number of reasons, including exercise, buying essential supplies, or to seek or provide care.

The First Minister used Friday's press conference to tell the public that the lockdown is about about "saving lives, not saving Christmas" as he warned that the virus will not "magic away" but instead "reset the clock."

He said he hoped measures being put in place in other parts of the UK to reduce the spread of coronavirus would succeed.

Public Health Wales figures show there has been 41,577 cases of coronavirus identified in Wales.

The highest number of new cases were identified in Cardiff with 292, according to figures published on 24 October.

There were 163 in Swansea, 152 in Rhondda Cynon Taf, and 88 in Neath Port Talbot.

Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire saw the lowest number of new cases with just five in each local authority area.