The number of coronavirus infections in Wales could reach that seen in the first wave within two weeks, according to a dire warning from Welsh Government health minister Vaughan Gething.
In Monday's Welsh Government briefing, Mr Gething said "we face a potentially difficult few months ahead of us" and said there is now growing concern that current lockdown measures will not be enough to help us through the winter because the virus is spreading so quickly.
The warning is reflected in the current hospital data for Wales, which shows more than 330 people with coronavirus in hospitals across Wales – up by more than 100 from last week. There is about a two-week delay between cases in the community and hospital admissions.
Mr Gething said: "The measures we have put in place at both a local and a national level to date have helped to keep the spread of the virus under check. But there is growing concern these will not be enough to help us through the winter because the virus is spreading so quickly.
"We could see coronavirus infections reach the same level as the spring peak in just a couple of weeks."
This map shows just how quickly a few cases of coronavirus can escalate and spread right across Wales:
The virus did not peak in Wales until April 19 when there were 1,186 people in hospital with the disease. Mr Gething added that he was considering stricter measures for Wales.
He said: "This week we expect to see tougher measures introduced by the UK Government in the hardest hit areas of England and a new three-tier intervention system to help control the spread of coronavirus.
"This morning we discussed these measures at a Cobra meeting chaired by the Prime Minister. And in Scotland the very strict firebreak measures, which include the closure of hospitality businesses, came into force over the weekend throughout the central belt.
"I do not want to scare people but I do want people to understand that we face a potentially difficult few months ahead of us."
Follow live updates on the latest coronavirus news in Wales here.
