Council staff will be deployed to help spot, trace and isolate new cases of coronavirus, the Welsh Government has confirmed.

First minister, Mark Drakeford, said public health and environmental health officers would be mobilised to help control the spread of the virus once lockdown restrictions are lifted.

Cllr Dafydd Meurig, WLGA spokesperson for regulatory services said: ‘Councils’ environmental health teams are fully and professionally recognised to undertake infection control procedures and are ideally placed to lead community contact tracing in their areas.

‘This is bread and butter work for them, and our officers are standing by ready and eager to assist in this next phase of the work to halt the spread of the virus.

’Dedicated officers in trading standards and licensing services, who are similarly proficient and skilled, are also prepared to be redeployed to help with the vital contact tracing work.’