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Nine new cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in Wales.

The Chief Medical Officer for Wales, Dr Frank Atherton, confirmed on Tuesday that nine further patients have tested positive for coronavirus (COVID-19).

This brings the total number of positive cases in Wales up to 15.

Two of the patients are from Carmarthenshire and recently returned from northern Italy together.

The other seven patients were tested following tracing in connection with the Neath Port Talbot resident who tested positive at the weekend.

One of the seven patients is from the Cardiff local authority area, one is from the Swansea local authority area and the other five are all from the Neath Port Talbot local authority area.

All nine patients are being managed in clinically appropriate settings.

Dr Atherton said: "I can confirm that nine additional individuals in Wales have tested positive for coronavirus (COVID-19), bringing the total number of positive cases in Wales to 15.

"All of the individuals are being managed in clinically appropriate settings. All appropriate measures to provide care for the individuals and to reduce the risk of transmission to others are being taken.

"We have always been clear that we expected the number of positive cases to increase, which is in line with what has happened in other parts of the world.

"The identification of the seven individuals linked to the Neath Port Talbot resident case shows that the contact tracing and community testing being carried out by Public Health Wales is working as it should.

"I’d like to take this opportunity to assure the public that Wales and the whole of the UK is prepared for these types of incidents. Working with our partners in Wales and the UK, we have implemented our planned response, with robust infection control measures in place to protect the health of the public."