Nine new cases of coronavirus in Wales have been confirmed, bringing the total to 15.

Two of the patients have recently returned together from northern Italy, and are resident in the Carmarthenshire local authority area, the Welsh Government said.

The other seven patients were tested following tracing in connection with the Neath Port Talbot Council resident who was tested positive at the weekend and which was announced on March 9.

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

Dr Frank Atherton, Wales’ Chief Medical Officer, 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.”

For the latest information on Coronavirus (COVID-19) please check the Public Health Wales website.