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Merthyr Tydfil has become the first area in Wales to begin mass testing for coronavirus for people who have no symptoms.
Anyone who lives or works there can now get a free trial.
Follow a similar scheme in Liverpool, Y members of the Armed Forces participate again together with the local authorities.
The goal is to identify more positive cases and prevent the disease from spreading uncontrollably.
The Merthyr Tydfil Rhydycar leisure center opened for testing on Saturday and other sites will be online later this month.
Lateral flow tests are being used: they give a result in about 20-30 minutes and do not need to be sent to a laboratory.
People who test positive will also undergo a traditional swab test, which has a higher degree of precision, and will be asked to go home to self-isolate.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock has offered the rapid tests to all local authorities in England, as well as delegate nations.
Merthyr Tydfil had the worst infection rate in the UK in early November, but the recent ‘firewall’ blocking in Wales appears to have had a significant effect.
Cases in the area have dropped from around 770 per 100,000 inhabitants to less than 260.
Blaenau Gwent is now the hotbed of the virus in Wales, with more than 350 cases per 100,000.
The overall number of cases in the country declined during the 10 days leading up to Friday, and there are also signs of a slowdown in hospital admissions.
The country’s seven-day incidence rate is now around 160 cases per 100,000 people, according to Prime Minister Mark Drakeford.
Soldiers helped implement the Liverpool scheme
Despite the success, he said there was “no room” for further relaxation of the rules in Wales.
“We need each and every one of us to do our part to ensure that we continue to build on the progress of the firewall and for coronavirus cases to continue to decline,” Drakeford said Friday.
He added, “If we do all of this together then we can have a path to Christmas and we will be looking forward to seeing family and friends during that festive period.”
Drakeford has said that talks on a UK-wide approach to Christmas rules are planned for next week.
