Over 500 new cases of coronavirus have been recorded in Wales today, daily figures show as the Welsh Government makes slight tweaks to lockdown.

Gwynedd, Powys and Carmarthenshire have all recorded over 20 new cases today with 16 new Covid-19 related deaths being recorded across Wales today, according to daily figures released this lunch time by Public Health Wales.

Gwynedd has recorded 26 cases today, with Powys recording 23 and Carmarthenshire recording 23.

Pembrokeshire has recorded 15 new cases while Ceredigion has recorded four, the lowest daily rise in Wales.

16 deaths have been recorded across Wales today, taking the total number of deaths in Wales since the pandemic began nearly a year ago to 5,205.

Of those deaths, 856 have been recorded by Betsi Cadwaladr Health Board in North Wales, with Hywel Dda recording 429 and Powys Health Board recording 58.

Office for National Statistics figures however show that deaths where Covid-19 is mentioned on the death certificate increase the death toll considerably with 1,168 deaths recorded in the Betsi Cadwaladr Health Board area and 610 deaths in the Hywel Dda region of Ceredigion, Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire, and Powys recording 217.

First Minister Mark Drakeford has this lunchtime given an update on lockdown rules in Wales, where he said measures will remain in place for the next three weeks.

However, some minor changes have been made to the current rules which include allowing four people from two different households to meet up outdoors for socially distanced exercise from Saturday, 20 February. This does not apply to private gardens.

From 1 March, the law will be changed to allow licensed wedding venues, such as visitor attractions and hotels, to reopen but only to perform wedding and civil partnership ceremonies.

Sport Wales will make arrangements for more athletes to resume training and playing.

With more people living and working in older people’s care homes being vaccinated, the Welsh Government has said it will look again at guidance for care home visiting.

Mr Drakeford said: “I know the last few months of lockdown have been a huge challenge for so many of us, but I want to thank everyone for the way we have worked together as a team to drive infection rates down.

“Our youngest learners will begin going back to school from 22 February and, if the situation continues to improve over the next three weeks, we hope more primary school children and older students will be able to return from 15 March.

“We are also able to make some very modest changes to the regulations from 20 February as we take some very cautious steps to relax some of the strictest lockdown restrictions we have all been living with for so long.

“We are seeing encouraging green shoots as we move into spring, with better weather and brighter days ahead, coronavirus cases falling and our amazing vaccine rollout continuing at pace.

"We have seen, however, time and again the world over, just how quickly the situation can deteriorate in a matter of weeks. But, if we work together to keep Wales safe, we will see more elements of normal life returning.”

The next three-week review of the regulations will also consider the restrictions around non-essential retail and close contact services.