THE CHIEF executive of Monmouthshire County Council has called on residents to “switch on” as coronavirus cases remain high in the region.

On Thursday the county recorded 60 new cases – 30 more cases than the previous day.

It means so far this week the county has recorded 143 new cases, and is on course for similar numbers as in previous weeks.

Since Christmas there were 260 cases in the county last week, and 298 the week before.

On Twitter on Thursday chief executive of the council Paul Matthews suggested that the continued high cases was due to people not following the rules.

“Been reviewing Covid cases in Monmouthshire this month – people either don’t understand or are ignoring the law on bubbles,” he said.

“A bubble with friends is not on – stop it. They are causing a spread and leading to harm.

“A single person household can connect with only one other household.

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“Alert level four means minimuse contact outside your household – no group walks, no cups of tea and a chat, no watching the footie together.

“Hundreds are dying each week, there are thousands of cases every day, our hospitals are rammed.

“Vaccines take time, and this is not getting easier. Switch on.

“You may be tough enough or magically immune, but your brother, sister, father, mother, son or daughter may not be. Friendship ‘bubbles’ do not help.”

A resident in Gilwern said they had seen a number of youths gathered at the Gilwern playing fields on a daily basis around the skate park in recent days.

Free Press Series: Cases in Monmouthshire in the seven days up to January 12Cases in Monmouthshire in the seven days up to January 12

In recent days Chepstow has seen the highest amount of cases across the region.

In the week up to January 12 Dewstow in Caerwent and The Elms in Magor with Undy recorded the most cases in the county with 12 each.

Other higher cases in the county in the same seven days are as follows; Drybridge (11), Goetre Fawr (11), Llanelly Hill (11), St Mary’s (11) and St Kingsmark (10).