NINETEEN more people have died with the coronavirus in Wales, taking the total number of people who have passed away from the disease to 403.

Public Health Wales has also reported 238 new cases of covid-19, taking the total number to 5,848 - though the true number of cases is likely to be higher.

The Aneurin Bevan University Health Board has seen a rise of 50 cases in the last 24 hours, taking the total number of cases in the region to 1,550. 

Within Gwent, the biggest increase was reported in Caerphilly, where 16 people have tested positive in the last 24 hours. 

This is followed by Newport, where there have been 14 new cases.

There were ten new cases in Blaenau Gwent and five new cases in both Torfaen and Monmouthshire. 

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It comes as Health Minister Vaughan Gething said the current testing capacity is at "about 1,300" a day.

"I'm concerned that we are not always using all of the tests which are available," he said.

"We must maximise the use of the capacity which exists.

"We must ensure people can get the tests they need as quickly as possible.

"We can't have that capacity sitting unused.

"If I was a frontline health worker sat at home self-isolating knowing there was that capacity available, I'd be really frustrated."

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South Wales Argus:

(Wales has a testing capacity of around 1,300 a day, the health minister has said. Picture: PA.)

When asked if England had been prioritised in the deliverance of PPE equipment, he said: 

"We're working within a UK system.

"There has been agreement from ministers about wanting to have a system across the UK about having a system that we all buy into and have a share of.

"We need assurance that there will be fairness in the delivery of that.

"If we want to go it alone, we're a small country ina global market."

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He also added that the Welsh Government is "working extremely hard to get PPE to where it is needed in Wales".

"Over 35 million items of PPE have been issued in the last few months.

"More than 12 million of those have come from our pandemic stocks."