MORE than 2,300 new cases of coronavirus have been recorded across Wales today as ministers prepare to discuss post-Christmas hospitality restrictions.

Across Wales today, 2,375 new cases of Covid-19 have been recorded with six new deaths.

Of those new cases, 48 have been recorded in Ceredigion, with 56 in Carmarthenshire and 49 in Pembrokeshire.

Gwynedd has recorded 60 new cases today with Powys recording 62.

Three of the six new deaths recorded today have come in the Betsi Cadwaladr Health Board region of north Wales, taking its total number of deaths to 1,126.

No new deaths have been recorded in the Hywel Dda Health Board region of Ceredigion, Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire, with the total number of deaths remaining at 621.

Powys has not recorded any new deaths today either, with its total remaining at 86.

Health chiefs in Ceredigion have warned that although no Omicron cases have been recorded in the county yet, it is only a matter of time.

Giving an update on the Covid-19 picture, Ceredigion County Council said: “The level of COVID-19 cases continues to increase in Ceredigion and the levels reported in the seven days up to 15 December are 385.2 per 100k of the population. This equates to 280 cases in 7 days and the trajectory of cases received since then shows that cases continue to increase.

“There are areas of Ceredigion with particularly high levels in the Lampeter and Llanfihangel Ystrad area which is at 715.8 per 100k of the population and amongst the highest in Wales. The New Quay and Penbryn area is also high with 578.1 per 100k of the population.

“We have no confirmed Omicron cases in Ceredigion but it is only a matter of time before cases are confirmed. We are however increasingly concerned with the general level of cases in the County and we ask people to consider carefully where they go and who they are in contact with in the days leading up to Christmas and we urge everyone to take a lateral flow test before going out and meeting others and to self-isolate if they have symptoms and arrange a PCR test.”

Welsh Government ministers are set to meet today to discuss post-Christmas hospitality restrictions.

It has already been announced that nightclubs will close from 27 December and all sporting events in Wales will be played behind closed doors from Boxing Day.

No indication has been given as to what further restrictions, if any, may look like on the hospitality industry, but Mark Drakeford has said there could be a limit could on the number of people who can meet, and that we could see a return to customers wearing masks inside pubs and restaurants.

Speaking to BBC’s Politics Wales programme, Mr Drakeford said on Sunday: “We will be working this week on the rules about how hospitality will reopen after Christmas.

"I think it is inevitable when hospitality reopens we will need to build some extra defences into the way they operate otherwise people will not turn up there. That is the thing to remember, the reason we are doing this is for business reasons as well as health reasons."