PUBLIC health experts have issued another call for people in South Wales to observe social distancing guidelines amid concern over rising numbers of coronavirus cases.

And they are urging young people who are contacted by Test Trace Protect teams to give full and accurate information to help them reach others whom those who have tested positive have been in contact with.

People in Caerphilly - the town and the wider county borough - were asked earlier today by Public Health Wales to make sure they follow social distancing guidelines, after a sharp rise in the number of cases there in recent days.

And now a similar call has gone out to communities in Rhondda Cynon Taf, which comprises the Rhonda and Cynon Valleys, and the area down to the M4 corridor which includes Pontypridd, Llanrisant and Pontyclun.

Fourteen new cases were confirmed in the area by Public Health Wales today, and there have been around 40 cases confirmed in the past 10 days. Of particular concern are clusters in the lower Rhondda Valley, in particular in Tonypandy, Porth and Penygraig.

"Infection is being transmitted between friendship groups, households and social settings," said Dr Robin Howe, incident director for the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak response at Public Health Wales.

“Test Trace Protect teams are working with those affected and contacting those people who have been in contact with a person who has tested positive.

“A significant proportion of the positive cases are from the young adult age group and disappointingly, some have been reluctant to share details of where they have been and who they have been in contact with.

“It is absolutely vital that accurate information is shared with the Test Trace Protect Teams. Their role is not to judge, their primary concern is to gather information that will keep other people safe as we all play our part in trying to prevent the spread of Coronavirus.

"Any information given to Test Trace and Protect teams is treated in the strictest of confidence. By not giving the Test Trace Protect teams accurate information, these people are placing their own family members and friends at huge risk.

"We are urging them to think about other members of their own families, their friends and communities. Put simply, they are risking other people's health and other people's lives, especially if they are symptomatic, by not staying at home and continuing to mix in the local community."

Issues over clusters of cases identified among holidaymakers returning to Wales from the Greek island of Zante have hit the headlines in recent days, but experts are increasingly concerned that, especially among a minority of 20-30 year-olds, guidelines intended to help minimise the spread of coronavirus are not being followed, and this is driving the increase.

Cardiff has seen 78 new cases in the past 10 days, Caerphilly 75, and Rhondda Cynon Taf around 40. Other areas where cases have jumped in that time period include Swansea (25), Bridgend (24) and Newport and the Vale of Glamorgan (13 each).

More information about coronavirus, testing, self-isolation, and social distancing is available at https://gov.wales/coronavirus