TWO people have tested positive for coronavirus in Powys in the last 24 hours – taking the total number of Powys cases since the pandemic began to 4,160.

The rate of new cases per 100,000 in the week to April 15 in Powys remains at an incredibly low 16.6 per 100,000 people – Blaenau Gwent (1.4), Monmouthshire (4.2), Pembrokeshire (4.8), Denbighshire (6.3), Ceredigion (6.9), Caerphilly and Conwy (both 7.7), Bridgend (8.2), Anglesey (8.6), Carmarthenshire (9), Vale of Glamorgan (9.7), Torfaen (10.6), Merthyr Tydfil (13.3) and Rhondda Cynon Taf (15.3) are the other local authorities in Wales with lower rates.

The number of deaths in Powys remains at 66, according to PHW figures, with that number at 266 according to more accurate Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures.

Powys Teaching Health Board have now delivered over 119,000 vaccine doses through its Covid-19 vaccination programme.

Over two-thirds (75 per cent) of the adult population in the county have received their first dose.

Last week (week ending April 18) saw over 7,500 vaccination doses delivered in the county.

Powys stats:

Confirmed cases – 4,160

New cases in April 20 data – 2

Rate of new cases per 100,000 in week to April 15 – 16.6

Powys position among Welsh local authorities for rate of new cases – joint 14th out of 22

Newly-confirmed cases day-by-day:

Tuesday, April 20 – 2

Monday, April 19 – 8

Saturday/Sunday, April 17/18 – 3

Friday, April 16 – 1

Thursday, April 15 – 7

Wednesday, April 14 - 0

Tuesday, April 13 – 2

The national picture:

Another two deaths due to Covid-19 have been reported by health chiefs in the past 24 hours – taking the total number of Welsh deaths to 5,542.

There were 53 new positive cases across Wales today, taking the total number up to 210,978.

Almost 1.7 million people in Wales have now had a first vaccination, while 610,882 people have received both doses.

Meanwhile, six people from six different households will be able to meet outdoors in Wales from this Saturday (April 24). The easing of the lockdown rules also mean that from next week pubs, restaurants and cafes will be able to re-open to serve customers al-fresco.

First Minister Mark Drakeford said the move was guided by the fact there is lower risk of catching Covid outdoors. It comes after the Welsh Government announced gyms could reopen earlier than previously planned.

Currently, up to six people from a maximum of two households are allowed to meet outdoors, although children under the age of 11 or carers do not count in the total. The new rule means any six people can meet outdoors, with children under 11 and carers exempt from the rule.

Elsewhere, the worst hit part of Wales in the pandemic has seen no Covid-19 deaths for a second successive week.

The latest figures show the Cwm Taf Morgannwg health board area has not recorded any further fatalities. Rhondda Cynon Taf (RCT) has Wales' highest Covid mortality rate, while Bridgend experienced the most deaths in the peak in January. But neither saw any Covid deaths registered, along with seven other counties.

Deaths overall are also below normal for a sixth successive week, a key pandemic indicator.

Public Health Wales' statement:

Dr Giri Shankar, incident director for the coronavirus outbreak response at Public Health Wales, said: “The Welsh Government has announced that six people (not including children under 11 years old or carers) be able to meet outdoors from Saturday 24 April, without a restriction on the number of households.

“The current rule states that six people from two households can meet outdoors.

“People should observe social distancing when meeting with others from outside their household or support bubble.

“The rules on meeting other people indoors remain unchanged. In addition, the Welsh Government confirmed that outdoor hospitality can resume on Monday 26 April.

“Public Health Wales recently published its latest surveillance report analysing Covid-19 vaccine uptake by sex, socioeconomic deprivation and ethnic group.

“According to the findings, inequality gaps in vaccine uptake of at least one dose of Covid-19 vaccine between ethnic and socioeconomic groups in older adults in Wales have narrowed since March but, despite this, significant inequalities still remain.

“On Friday the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) advised that pregnant women should be offered the vaccine at the same time as the rest of the population, based on their age and clinical risk group. JCVI advice is followed in Wales.

“As there is more experience of the use of the Pfizer BioNTech and Moderna vaccines in pregnancy those vaccines are therefore the preferred vaccines to offer to pregnant women.

“We are no longer publishing coronavirus data or a daily statement on Saturdays because case numbers are now low therefore any fluctuation day-to-day can give rise to potentially misleading interpretation and we want to be focusing more on the underlying trends.

“Our surveillance team will however retain the ability to ramp back up to seven-day reporting if necessary.

“We would like to remind the public that coronavirus is still circulating in our communities and a large number of people have not been fully vaccinated. It is therefore vital that people observe social distancing, where face coverings when in indoor spaces, and wash hands regularly. These actions will help to prevent transmission of the virus.”