WALES has seen 2,761 new coronavirus cases and 24 deaths reported today.

Of these, 199 were in North Wales.

The Betsi Cadwalader University Health Board has now recorded a total of 16,165 cornavirus cases since the start of the pandemic.

The majority of new cases were in South Wales, with 529 and 459 reported in the Cardiff and Swansea areas respectively.

Here in the North, the new cases can be broken down as such:

Anglesey 9

Conwy 17

Denbighshire 26

Flintshire 72

Gwynedd 4

Wrexham 71

Total number of cases:

Anglesey 1,041

Conwy 2,010

Denbighshire 2,179

Flintshire 4,093

Gwynedd 1,606

Wrexham 5,236

Wales has now recorded 128,089 positive coronavirus tests and sadly 3,149 people have died.

In Tuesday's daily statement, Dr Robin Howe, Incident Director for the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak response at Public Health Wales, said: “Public Health Wales is working with the Welsh Government, local health boards, local authorities and other partners following the announcement of national restrictions in Wales from midnight 20 December 2020.

“Under the new restrictions, people must stay at home, except for very limited purposes. People must not visit other households or meet other people they do not live with. Non-essential retail, close contact services, gyms and leisure centres, and hospitality will also close.

“Rules which allow two households to come together to form a Christmas bubble will now apply on Christmas Day only.

“As indicated by the Welsh Government, the immediate introduction of new restrictions is related to the identification of a new more transmissible variant of Coronavirus. Public Health Wales has been working with UK partners to investigate and respond to this variant.

“It is normal for viruses to undergo mutations, and we expect this to happen. Although the variant is easier to transmit, there is currently no evidence that it is more severe.

“We are reminding people that all current guidance relating to Coronavirus continues to apply to the new variant, including advice relating to symptoms, social distancing, self-isolation, and vaccination.

“We remind people that the more people that you mix with, the higher the risk of both transmitting and contracting Coronavirus, and you must change your Christmas plans.

“We advise everyone to stay at home as much as possible, and to limit your social contacts.

“The more people who contract the virus, the greater the number who will need hospital treatment in our already stretched NHS Wales services.

“By staying at home, you will help protect our NHS and ultimately save lives.