PEOPLE living in and visiting Newport are being urged by Gwent police to "work together" to stop the spread of coronavirus and help avoid the stricter regulations that a local lockdown would bring.

With cases on the rise in Newport - there have been 67 in the past week and the 43.3 cases per 100,000 population in the city is currently the fourth highest in Wales - there will be an increased police presence across Newport to try to ensure that the existing and new rules around social distancing and other measures are being observed.

"My message to you all is, if you are visiting the city centre, and particularly the bars in the city centre, to be responsible and to observe the social distancing that is in place, and if you do feel that you have symptoms, to get yourself tested as quickly as you can, and to self isolate," said Superintendent Mike Richards, who is responsible for the East Local Policing Area covering Newport and Monmouthshire.

"We are hearing stories of people who may have symptoms, who are not observing those self isolation rules. So it is really important everybody, that we work together.

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"Nobody wants to go into a stricter lockdown than what we are already in, but you need to work with us, and we need your support on this.

"So you are likely to see an increasing presence of police across the city.

"Please work with us on this and keep yourselves safe, keep your families safe, and keep the communities in Newport safe."

 

The use of face coverings in shops and public places where social distancing is difficult becomes mandatory in Wales today, as does a rule limiting indoor gatherings to six people, who must be from the same extended household.

First Minister Mark Drakeford said last week that people who "knowingly and deliberately flout the law" could face fines of up to £1,920 for repeat offences.