A WORRYING escalation in coronavirus deaths and cases in Wales has been confirmed, with some of the worst figures on the impact of the pandemic here since it arrived last March.

There have been 37 newly confirmed deaths Wales-wide today - including one in Gwent.

And there have been 1,414 newly confirmed cases - including 289 across Gwent - one of the highest recorded daily totals.

The Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board (UHB) area, which includes Rhondda Cynon Taf, Merthyr Tydfil and Bridgend, bore the brunt of the deaths, with 24 being confirmed, and the three council areas mentioned had 326 new cases between them.

Every health board area in Wales recorded at least death, with the others as follows: Betsi Cadwaladr UHB (north Wales), two; Cardiff & Vale UHB, three; Hywel Dda UHB, one; Powys, one; Swansea Bay, five.

The new cases in Gwent are: Caerphilly, 119; Blaenau Gwent, 52; Newport, 44; Torfaen, 43; Monmouthshire, 31.

Across Wales, there have now been 1,827 coronavirus deaths and 46,459 cases, according to Public Health Wales.

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Rolling weekly case rates continue to rise, with the all-Wales rate now 224.6 cases 100,000 population for the week ending October 25.

Eight parts of Wales have rates higher than this however, including two in Gwent - Blaenau Gwent, 389.3 per 100,000, and Caerphilly, 267.8.

Merthyr Tydfil's rolling weekly case rate is the highest, at 487.4 per 100,00, followed by Rhondda Cynon Taf at 458.8.

The proportion of positive coronavirus tests for the week to October 25 also rose, with Blaenau Gwent (18.5 per cent, or close to one-in-six) being the highest in Gwent.

But in Merthyr Tydfil and Rhondda Cynon Taf, the proportion is more than one-in-five positive tests.

Today's confirmed cases across Wales are as follows:

Rhondda Cynon Taf - 275

Cardiff - 170

Swansea - 127

Caerphilly - 119

Bridgend - 84

Merthyr Tydfil - 67

Neath Port Talbot - 65

Blaenau Gwent - 52

Powys - 47

Newport - 44

Torfaen - 43

Wrexham - 43

Flintshire - 41

Carmarthenshire - 41

Monmouthshire - 31

Conwy - 21

Denbighshire - 18

Vale of Glamorgan - 13

Anglesey - 12

Gwynedd - 10

Pembrokeshire - four

Ceredigion - three

Unknown location - 20

Resident outside Wales - 63

Public Health Wales figures for coronavirus deaths include only those that have been confirmed by a laboratory test. The Office for National Statistics - which counts all deaths in which coronavirus is mentioned on the death certificate - puts the number of deaths in Wales much higher.