Five more people die from coronavirus in Wales to take the total to 1,116

The number of people who have died after contracting coronavirus in Wales has reached 1,116 after five more deaths were confirmed on Monday.

Public Health Wales also announced that 124 further people have tested positive for the virus in laboratories to bring the total to 11,468.

Overall, the number of individual tests carried out in Wales has hit 48,583 since the outbreak began. For Sunday alone, that figure stood at 1,314.

This map shows the areas of Wales with the most cases in the last week

The latest figures were announced following a press conference by First Minister Mark Drakeford who gave an update on the situation in Wales.

I started by stating that the “very modest changes” to the coronavirus regulations will come into force in Wales on Monday afternoon.

These include allowing people to exercise more than once a day and permitting garden centers to open to the public with social distancing measures in place.

“These are very small changes and they do not change our overall advice to people in Wales,” said Mr Drakeford.

“Wherever you can you should stay at home. Wherever you can you should work from home. If you need to leave home for exercise you must stay local.”

But overall, the press conference focused on the differences in messaging between the UK and Welsh governments on lockdown arrangements.

On Sunday evening Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced a relaxation of some restrictions, such as allowing people to drive to parks and beaches – but they only apply in England.

Mr Drakeford said that while the “fundamental direction of travel” remains the same between governments, he did voice concerns that people on both sides of the border may become confused.

This chart shows how the number of cases diagnosed every day has fluctuated

This shows how the number of deaths every day has fluctuated

He said: “All parts of the United Kingdom are making very small adjustments to the current regulations, and those incremental changes all move in the same direction.”

During his weekly update from the four police chief constables in Wales, Mr Drakeford said a “distinct increase in activity” was reported over the bank holiday weekend.

He said this came after many UK national newspapers last Thursday reported a major easing of lockdown restrictions was “just on the horizon”.

“They also saw an increase in alcohol-related violence associated with VE Day celebrations and increased traffic across areas of the road network,” I added.

The First Minister said he had concerns about traffic into Wales increasing following the Prime Minister’s announcement that travel to exercise will be allowed in England.

“I just want to be clear: in Wales, it is Welsh law that applies,” said Mr Drakeford.

“Traveling to Wales to exercise is not to exercise locally. We will use whatever means are available to convey this message, including signs on the major roads and motorways, and articles we hope to place in local newspapers across our border.”

However, I have stopped short of saying people would be fined immediately for traveling from England into Wales.

“I do have sympathy with people who haven’t heard that message with sufficient clarity because of the way that it was announced yesterday [by Boris Johnson], “Mr Drakeford said.

The First Minister added that the Welsh Government had already published a framework to help decide how and when to ease lockdown regulations.

“We will continue to develop this framework throughout the week, to create a more detailed road map based on the latest scientific evidence, and I will provide further details about this work later in the week.”

When asked whether politics played a role in the differences in restrictions for each UK nation, Mr Drakeford stressed that it played “no part whatsoever” in his thinking.

“In all the discussions that I have had with [the UK Government] the issue of party politics has never once entered the discussion on either side of the table, “he said.

However, he said he believes people are “right to be concerned about the porous nature of our border” and the confusion that may exist. I’ve added that I’ve stayed keen on a UK-wide approach to ending lockdown.

But Mr Drakeford went on to add that he did not think there had been sufficient communication between the Welsh and UK governments on how to tackle Covid-19 jointly.

“It’s been three weeks since I wrote to Michael Gove asking for a regular pattern of engagement between devolved administrations and the UK Government,” he said.

“The more you talk and the more you share, the better chance there is that you can move together. We didn’t have, in my mind, that reliable rhythm of contact.

“Where we had it, it was good. But it was in fits and starts. I don’t think that’s sufficient.”

Mr Drakeford said some of the things the Prime Minister discussed during his broadcast on Sunday applied UK-wide, including issues of border security.

However, I said a lot of people are likely to need clarity about when I was speaking in that UK capacity and when I was speaking about things only applying in England.