CORONAVIRUS case rates are continuing to rise in almost every area of Wales, latest figures show.

The biggest jumps are in Merthyr Tydfil, Bridgend and Blaenau Gwent.

Only one area – Conwy – has recorded a drop.

The figures, for the seven days to December 17, are based on tests carried out in NHS Wales laboratories and those conducted on Welsh residents processed in commercial laboratories.

They show that the number of new cases per 100,000 people in Merthyr Tydfil has risen sharply week-on-week from 926.6 to 1,299.6 – the highest rate in Wales – while in Bridgend the rate has increased from 777.3 to 1,122.1.

In Blaenau Gwent, the rate is up from 698.5 to 1,006.3.

Conwy, the one area that has recorded a week-on-week fall, saw its rate drop from 95.6 to 77.6.

In Wrexham, the rate has risen to 454.6 from 266.3.

The rise is smaller in Flintshire, standing at 265.9 from 218.4.

In Denbighshire the latest rate has risen from 135.8 to 145.3 per 100,000.

Another nationwide lockdown in Wales began on December 20, with plans to relax rules between December 23 and 27 scrapped.

Two households will be allowed to meet on Christmas Day only.

Here are the latest rates in full:

From left to right, the list reads: name of local authority; rate of new cases in the seven days to December 17; number (in brackets) of new cases recorded in the seven days to December 17; rate of new cases in the seven days to December 10; number (in brackets) of new cases recorded in the seven days to December 10.

  • Merthyr Tydfil, 1,299.6, (784), 926.6, (559)
  • Bridgend, 1,122.1, (1,650), 777.3, (1,143)
  • Blaenau Gwent, 1,006.3, (703), 698.5, (488)
  • Neath Port Talbot, 964.3, (1,382), 802.4, (1,150)
  • Newport, 895.4, (1,385), 730.6, (1,130)
  • Caerphilly, 838.9, (1,519), 689.8, (1,249)
  • Rhondda Cynon Taf, 829.4, (2,001), 676.9, (1,633)
  • Torfaen, 804.6, (756), 588.5, (553)
  • Swansea, 747.0, (1,845), 716.6, (1,770)
  • Carmarthenshire, 741.6, (1,400), 499.5, (943)
  • Cardiff, 677.6, (2,486), 529.3, (1,942)
  • Vale of Glamorgan, 610.8, (816), 376.5, (503)
  • Monmouthshire, 491.6, (465), 355.2, (336)
  • Wrexham, 454.6, (618), 266.3, (362)
  • Flintshire, 265.9, (415), 218.4, (341)
  • Pembrokeshire, 251.2, (316), 192.3, (242)
  • Ceredigion, 246.2, (179), 187.1, (136)
  • Powys, 224.3, (297), 153.3, (203)
  • Denbighshire, 145.3, (139), 135.8, (130)
  • Gwynedd, 81.9, (102), 55.4, (69)
  • Conwy, 77.6, (91), 95.6, (112)
  • Isle of Anglesey, 47.1, (33), 37.1, (26)