Gwynedd Council will not close schools early this month, despite growing concern over the spread of Covid-19.

Some councils in Wales - Anglesey, Denbighshire and Wrexham - have announced that they will close early for Christmas, but Gwynedd Council told the Cambrian News its schools will remain open.

A Gwynedd Council spokesperson said: “We can confirm that schools in Gwynedd will remain open until 22 December in accordance with Welsh Government guidelines.

“Through the Multi Agency Gwynedd Surveillance and Response Group – which includes representatives from Public Health Wales and the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board - we are continuing to closely monitor and respond appropriately to all the available scientific data.

“At present, this data shows that infection rates in Gwynedd have fallen significantly over the past week. However, should the situation change, arrangements are in place to introduce blended learning if an individual school reaches a certain threshold in terms of case numbers and/or staffing levels.

“As a council we are grateful to all our school staff for their hard work and dedication during this difficult time and to parents and guardians for their continuing support and understanding.”