That brings our coverage to a close for today. Here's a reminder of the main points from today's coronavirus press briefing:

• Economy minister Ken Skates has announced £140m in business support for those affected by the impact of local lockdowns
• There is a £60m fund for businesses within the lockdown areas - which will hit 11 by this evening, affecting two-thirds of the Welsh population - with grants of up to £1,500 available.
• A second scheme, worth £80m, will provide larger grants to firms across Wales that can demonstrate plans for post-coronavirus recovery.
• Of that money, £20m has been earmarked for tourism and hospitality businesses, which Mr Skates said had been particularly hit by covid.
• The rate of unemployment in Wales from May to July was 3.1%, compared to 4.1% for the whole of the UK, latest figures show, which Mr Skates said was because Wales had "the most generous package" of support for businesses and was the "equivalent of 15,000 jobs saved".
• Mr Skates, also the minister for north Wales, said he would be meeting council leaders from the area and was hoping they could avoid local lockdowns there. However, Public Health Wales has cautioned four northern councils are an a watch list for rising case numbers.

That's all for now. Thank you for joining us.

There have been 286 new cases of coronavirus reported to Public Health Wales on Monday, taking the total number of confirmed cases to 23,231.

There are no new deaths, with the total remaining at 1,612.

Blaenau Gwent is currently ranked the hardest-hit part of the UK for its coronavirus case rate, with 287.7 cases per 100,000 in the last week.

It is ahead of Burnley in Lancashire on 270, Knowsley in Merseyside on 265, Liverpool on 252 and Newcastle-upon-Tyne on 246.

Of the next highest Welsh council area, Merthyr Tydfil is ranked 7th on 225 cases per 100,000.

The figures are for the seven days up to 24 September.

Image source, Adrian Cable/Geograph

As university students, covid cases and potentially keeping students away from home at Christmas dominates headlines, Aberystwyth University has announced it is temporarily suspending face-to-face teaching from Monday.

In a statement, the university said: "This has been a difficult call which is partly driven by uncertainty surrounding the scale of spread within our community.

"This weekend we have had the first confirmed cases in the community connected with the University.

“We will be making further assessments of how to proceed with our plans to teach in person as further information is available to us."

It is asking students to use face coverings even in communal areas of their accommodation for the time being.

The Welsh Government is "acutely aware" of the issues faced by people who live alone in local lockdown areas, the economy minister has said.

Ken Skates MS told Monday's media briefing that the first minister would be making a statement as part of the three week review at the end of this week.

He said: "We are acutely aware of the stress and anxiety that people living in single households are facing right now and if we can support them in any way then we most certainly will do."

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Businesses in local lockdown areas are not being "forced to close” according to Welsh Government’s economy minister.

Ken Skates told journalists at the government’s briefing that “businesses can continue to operate” in areas that are locked down.

“What’s important is that businesses and individual members of the public operate in the safest possible way,” he said.

Mr Skates acknowledged that local restrictions would be “difficult for businesses”, and therefore his government had introduced the £60m fund announced earlier.

“If businesses experience a material fall in turnover they will be able to apply for and secure a grant from the Welsh Government.”

He said: “We have enough financial resource in place based on the modelling to go through two waves of local restrictions but we also have the flexibility within the fund that would enable us to operate potentially through a third wave.”

Image source, Jaggery/Geograph

Students having to remain in university accommodation over the Christmas holidays is "the last thing that we would wish for," says the Welsh economy minister.

Ken Skates said the "welfare of individuals, particularly vulnerable people like the elderly and young people, is of vital importance."

Asked what his advice would be for those students due to come to Welsh universities this week, Mr Skates said the Welsh Government was working hard to "respond to the needs of young people in universities".

"The last thing that we would wish for is for students to be facing the predicament of having to stay in university halls of residence over the Christmas period, having to face ongoing uncertainty and anxiety because of the pandemic," he told the government's press briefing."

He said ministers were working incredibly closely with higher education institutions, staff and unions and student bodies.

"Public health has always and will always be our most important priority as we tackle this pandemic," Mr Skates added. "And the welfare of individuals, particularly vulnerable people like the elderly and young people, is of vital importance."

Image source, Richard Hoare/Geograph

The economy minister says he’s hoping local lockdowns in north Wales can be avoided.

Ken Skates, who is also minister for north Wales, said he would be meeting local leaders in the region.

He said the contact tracing system helped contain the virus in Wrexham over the summer and hopes a “similar reduction in figures” will now be seen elsewhere.

Mr Skates said: “Obviously some parts of north Wales are registering higher numbers than other areas, but there is no doubt based on what I'm hearing from local authority leaders in the north, that while people are concerned about the coronavirus, people are acting responsibly and responding to the need to act in a way that prevents a further spread of the virus.

“But we will be discussing this issue with local leaders in the north of Wales before reaching any decision on whether local lockdowns are required in any of the six local authority areas.”

Public Health Wales said there were areas of concern, including four council areas in north Wales.

"We are watching the data from there carefully, but numbers of cases are increasing in all parts of Wales so there is no room for complacency in any area".

There is a "significant gap" in unemployment between Wales and the rest of the UK, said the economy minister.

Ken Skates said Wales was 1% below the UK average unemployment rate. He said this was because Wales had "the most generous package of support for businesses."

He added the 1% was "the equivalent of 15,000 jobs that have been saved."

He said while numerous forecasts had suggested unemployment could rise to 10% or potentially more, he welcomed the UK Government's Job Support Scheme to prevent this figure being even higher.

Mr Skates added that "direct interventions" from the Welsh Government had secured more than 100,000 jobs and that while there were many predictions Wales would be "worst hit", as a result of the impact on sectors such as tourism and hospitality, there was a "significant gap in unemployment" between Wales and the rest of the UK.

But he said there was "no doubt" Wales faced a huge challenge and that the aim in Welsh Government was "to save as many jobs and businesses".

Image source, Getty Images

Economy Minister Ken Skates says the Welsh Government will consider “whatever measures are necessary” in order to ensure public safety and stop the further spread of coronavirus.

Speaking during the latest coronavirus briefing, Mr Skates was asked whether the Welsh Government would impose tougher restrictions on bars, pubs and restaurants to control the spread of the virus.

He said: “We will consider whatever measures are necessary in order to ensure that public safety of the population is of paramount importance to us and that we make sure we also contain this infection in the coming months”

Under current restrictions which came into force last Thursday, all licensed premises across in Wales must stop selling all alcohol at 22:00 every day.

But it is being reported that the UK Government is considering stricter restrictions for the hospitality sector in England.

More details of the type of help available from the Welsh Government announced by Economy Minister Ken Skates:

The £80m worth of business development grants will be open to micro businesses, small and medium businesses (SMEs) and large businesses.

• Micro businesses (employing between one and 9 people) will be able to apply for up to £10k on the condition they match this with their own investment of at least 10%.
• SMEs (employing between 10 and 249 people) will be able to apply for up to £150K on the condition they match this with their own investment of at least 10% for small business (1-49 staff) and 20% for medium sized (50-249) business
• Large businesses (employing 250+ people) will be able to apply for up to £200K on the condition they match this with their own investment of at least 50%.

Economy Minister Ken Skates has set out plans for a £140m fund to help businesses hit by the coronavirus pandemic as the winter months approach and local lockdowns bite.

He warned they could not save "every business and every job" but said the Welsh Government had stood "steadfast with firms and individuals".

Of the money, £60m will be targeted at areas hit by this month's rolling announcements of local lockdown.

Mr Skates said two new separate schemes would help businesses. Similar schemes have been announced in England.

There will be 11 local areas in lockdown from this evening.

“This £140m will no doubt make the difference between business survival and business death for thousands of enterprises,” he said.

“It will make the difference between employment and unemployment for thousands more workers.”

This is what he set out:

• The first scheme, worth £60m, will offer grants to businesses with a rateable value under £50,000 that can demonstrate a material impact because of the new restrictions. The grants will range from £1,000 to £1,500 depending on the size of the business.
• The second scheme, worth £80m, will provide much larger grants to any firms who can demonstrate plans for post-Covid recovery. £20m of the money will got to tourism and hospitality businesses.

Image source, Cardiff Airport

Cardiff Airport bosses say it will remain open despite its home county of the Vale of Glamorgan going into lockdown on Monday.

Spencer Birns, interim chief executive, said: "As a vital part of the transport infrastructure in Wales it is essential the airport remains open for legitimate travel and air movements, as we have done throughout the pandemic closely following guidance provided by the relevant authorities."

He added that local lockdown restrictions stated that residents in those areas should not travel outside the area, unless there is a reasonable excuse to do so.

"For those travelling from areas not in lockdown, there are currently no legal restrictions about travelling to the airport, as long as rules are obeyed when they do so," said Mr Birns.

However he said it was up to customers to check relevant Welsh and UK government advice before they travelled to determine whether they were allowed to travel to the airport and had a "legitimate reason" to fly.

As well as the 11 areas in lockdown or entering local lockdown, there are also "areas of concern" identified by Public Health Wales.

These five areas include the wider county of Carmarthenshire, where the town of Llanelli has already been placed in local lockdown.

Public Health Wales said: "We are watching the data from there carefully, but numbers of cases are increasing in all parts of Wales so there is no room for complacency in any area".

Image source, Getty Images

Nearly two-thirds of Wales' population will be under lockdown when new restrictions are imposed in three more areas on Monday.

From 18:00 BST, they will be in force in Neath Port Talbot, Torfaen and Vale of Glamorgan.

This will mean half of Wales' 22 local authorities will be under lockdowns, affecting almost two million people.

The country's two biggest cities - Cardiff and Swansea - had restrictions applied on Sunday evening.

Good afternoon. Stay here for coverage of Monday's coronavirus update from the Welsh Government.

Economy Minister Ken Skates is leading the press briefing from 12.30 BST.

Here's the latest covid roundup:

• Three more counties are to go into local lockdown on Monday. From 18:00 BST, the Vale of Glamorgan, Torfaen and Neath Port Talbot will be subject to further restrictions on travel and household meetings.
• It follows Cardiff and Swansea counties and Llanelli town going into lockdown over the weekend. Six other counties - Caerphilly, Rhondda Cynon Taff, Merthyr Tydfil, Bridgend, Newport and Blaenau Gwent - have already been under measures for weeks.
• The move means nearly two-thirds of Wales' population will be under lockdown by Monday evening.
• The lockdown areas have ended extended households - where up to four different homes could meet indoors - but First Minister Mark Drakeford said he was considering changing the rules to allow single-person households in lockdown areas to join with one other household.
• Professor Sian Griffiths, who has helped lead previous epidemics' research, has backed the idea, saying rules should be eased over concerns over mental health.