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| Covid: Cardiff and Swansea go into local lockdown | |
| (about 8 hours later) | |
| Wales' two biggest cities have gone into lockdown, which started at 18:00. | |
| The changed status of Swansea and Cardiff took the number of Welsh local authority areas under heightened Covid restrictions to eight. | |
| It follows the first localised lockdown in Wales, in the town of Llanelli in Carmarthenshire, which came into force on Saturday evening. | It follows the first localised lockdown in Wales, in the town of Llanelli in Carmarthenshire, which came into force on Saturday evening. |
| It means 1.5 million people - about half of Wales' population -are now under lockdown. | |
| Earlier on Sunday, it was confirmed that three other council areas - Neath Port Talbot, Torfaen and the Vale of Glamorgan - will face the same measures from 18:00 BST on Monday. | |
| The restrictions are the same as those affecting people living in Merthyr Tydfil, Bridgend, Blaenau Gwent, Newport, Rhondda Cynon Taf and Caerphilly, which were already in lockdown. | |
| When asked if Wales could see a national lockdown, First Minister Mark Drakeford told the BBC's Politics Wales programme: "We couldn't possibly rule it out. | When asked if Wales could see a national lockdown, First Minister Mark Drakeford told the BBC's Politics Wales programme: "We couldn't possibly rule it out. |
| "We're trying to do it in a way that balances both the health and the economic needs of Wales," he said. | "We're trying to do it in a way that balances both the health and the economic needs of Wales," he said. |
| Swansea hit a seven-day rate of 56 new cases of coronavirus per 100,000 on Friday, while Cardiff reached 38 cases per 100,000. | Swansea hit a seven-day rate of 56 new cases of coronavirus per 100,000 on Friday, while Cardiff reached 38 cases per 100,000. |
| But the number in Llanelli was 152 cases per 100,000 - which is why the Welsh Government decided to bring in restrictions there a day earlier. | But the number in Llanelli was 152 cases per 100,000 - which is why the Welsh Government decided to bring in restrictions there a day earlier. |
| The whole of Carmarthenshire was not put into lockdown because the rate in the rest of the local authority area was 18. | The whole of Carmarthenshire was not put into lockdown because the rate in the rest of the local authority area was 18. |
| Llanelli town is in the top three places with the highest weekly infections rates, alongside Blaenau Gwent on 202 per 100,000 and Merthyr Tydfil at 169 per 100,000. | Llanelli town is in the top three places with the highest weekly infections rates, alongside Blaenau Gwent on 202 per 100,000 and Merthyr Tydfil at 169 per 100,000. |
| Under the rules, nobody is able to enter or leave the affected areas without a "reasonable excuse". | |
| People are allowed to travel outside their area for a limited number of reasons. | |
| These include going to work if they are not able to work from home, to go to school, give care and buy food or medical supplies. | These include going to work if they are not able to work from home, to go to school, give care and buy food or medical supplies. |
| How are the rules affecting you? Share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. | How are the rules affecting you? Share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. |
| Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also get in touch in the following ways: | Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also get in touch in the following ways: |