CORONAVIRUS rates of infection have increased sharply in Wrexham in the last couple of days, figures show.

Public Health Wales figures show that Wrexham has gone up from 33.1 cases per 100k population on Tuesday, to 59.6 cases per 100k on Thursday

The figures are based on a seven-day rolling period, and show a significant increase in just 48 hours.

Wrexham Council says the rise in cases justifies the decision to place the county borough under lockdown restrictions.

It said: "We’re not just talking about numbers on a chart. These figures represent real people in our community, and sadly there’s a chance that some of them might become very ill.

"This underlines why introducing extra local restrictions in Wrexham from 6pm tonight (Thursday) is the right thing to do."

Councillor Mark Pritchard, leader of Wrexham Council, said:“The upward trend is stark, and the figures – which are based on a rolling seven-day period – once again show that Wrexham has done the right thing by acting quickly and introducing extra restrictions, along with Flintshire, Denbighshire and Conwy.

“Many people are frustrated about the extra measures that come into force tonight, and I completely understand that. The world is in a pretty difficult place at the moment, we’re all tired and we all want life to go back to normal.

“But the data and the science show that extra restrictions are needed if we want to bring the virus under control again in Wrexham. We don’t have a choice.

“So once again, I’m urging each and every one of us to know the rules and to stick to them. More than that, I’m asking everyone to do the right thing, and do everything they can to prevent the spread of the virus.

“It’s about doing our best to protect other people, including the people we love.”

The key changes that will apply from 6pm on Thursday are:

People won’t be allowed to enter or leave the county without a reasonable excuse, such as travel for work or education.

If you live in Wrexham County Borough, you’ll only be able to meet people you don’t live with outdoors. You won’t be able to be part of an extended household (sometimes called a ‘bubble’).