Llywydd, as in previous weeks, I will focus my report on matters not to be covered in the statements that follow from the Minister for Economy, Transport and North Wales and the Minister for International Relations and the Welsh Language.

Llywydd, the number of new cases of the virus in Wales continues to fall, as does the number of admissions to hospital and to critical care. There were 42 new cases reported by Public Health Wales yesterday. There are now 40 patients in critical care beds in Wales suffering from coronavirus, down from a peak of 164 in April. The number of new admissions for coronavirus has fallen from over 1,000 a week, at the peak, to 710 last week. These trends are encouraging, and I once again thank people in Wales for the commitment and solidarity that they have shown over the past weeks and months.

Despite that, Llywydd, yesterday the Office for National Statistics reported that, in all settings, up to 29 May, there have been a total of 2,240 deaths involving coronavirus in Wales. The number of deaths reported yesterday by Public Health Wales was nine, continuing the downward trend. But each of those is an individual with a life that could have been led. Each one will have been greatly missed. And it remains imperative that we all continue to follow the rules to protect ourselves and others.

Llywydd, I reported last week on the decisions taken as part of the latest review of the regulations, to ease some of the restrictions currently in place. We will make further easements, as soon as it is safe to do so, but only when it is safe to do so.

We have taken these cautious steps supported by our test, trace and protect system, which came into effect last week. As I’ve said, the number of positive cases of coronavirus in Wales continues to fall. Last week the highest number on any one day was 82, the lowest, 35. These cases generated 651 people for follow-up by the contact tracing teams, and of those 651, 619 have already been successfully contacted and advised.