TWENTY-five new cases of coronavirus have been confirmed across Caerphilly today, as the increase in cases in the area intensifies.

The increase comes on the day when it has been revealed that a rugby club in the county borough has had to close after a customer tested positive, and a class at a primary school in the area has been told to self isolate for 14 days after a staff member also got a positive test result.

Those cases are among 98 new ones confirmed across Wales by Public Health Wales, with neighbouring Rhondda Cynon Taf accounting for 23 of them.

All five council areas in Gwent have had new cases confirmed today, as follows: Caerphilly - 25; Newport - two; Monmouthshire - two, Torfaen - two; Blaenau Gwent - one.

Overall, Gwent has now recorded 2,940 cases since the pandemic began, according to Public Health Wales.

There were no new coronavirus-related deaths recorded today in Wales however, meaning the total - again according to Public Health Wales - remains at 1,597.

The continued increase in cases across Caerphilly comes against the backdrop of warning from public health experts, the health and the county borough council for people to observe social distancing and other guidance, or risk a local lockdown.

The area has now seen more than 120 new cases in the past two weeks, more than any other part of Wales except Cardiff. The capital has seen more than 160 cases in that period.

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The number of cases confirmed across Wales today are as follows:

Caerphilly - 25

Rhondda Cynon Taf - 23

Cardiff - 10

Carmarthenshire - six

Powys - five

Swansea - four

Flintshire - three

Neath Port Talbot - three

Monmouthshire - two

Newport - two

Torfaen - two

Gwynedd - two

Merthyr Tydfil - two

Blaenau Gwent - one

Conwy - one

Denbighshire - one

Wrexham - one

Vale of Glamorgan - one

Bridgend - one

Pembrokeshire - one

Unknown location - one

Resident outside Wales - one

Public Health Wales figures for coronavirus deaths include only those that have been confirmed by a laboratory test. The Office for National Statistics - which counts all deaths in which coronavirus is mentioned on the death certificate - puts the number of deaths in Wales much higher.