New coronavirus infections reached an average of 6,000 in England each day during the first week of September according to the latest figures. Public Health England highlighted dramatic increases in new coronavirus cases across several areas of the UK. But which local authorities have been highlighted as at risk of lockdown?
Coronavirus restrictions were tightened in parts of northeast England, West Yorkshire and the Midlands.
The new measures were prompted by a sharp rise in COVID-19 cases.
Coronavirus infections are now doubling every seven to eight days.
The R rate which measures the speed of the COVID-19 transmission and the average number of people an average person with the virus is likely to pass it on to now stands at 1.1 to 1.4 in the UK according to the latest reports.
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The latest Public Health England weekly surveillance report shows the spread of the virus has increased across the country.
Cases remain highest across the North West and Yorkshire and Humber.
There have been 64,308 coronavirus cases since the beginning of the outbreak, with a rate of 876 per 100,000 people in the North West.
In Yorkshire and Humber, there have been 41,659 cases so far with a rate of 757 per 100,000 people.
New cases of coronavirus could be hitting 6,000 a day in England according to recent Office for National Statistics data.
The ONS found infection rates were higher in the North West and London, based on random testing of thousands of people in households.
There was a “clear evidence” of a rise in positive tests in the under-35 age group.
The rate increased from an average of 3,200 people a day for the period from August 30 to September 5.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the UK is facing a “very serious situation” and will not rule out a second lockdown.
Mr Hancock told Sky News: “The last line of defence is full national action and I don’t want to see that but we will do whatever is necessary to keep people safe in a very difficult pandemic.”
He added: “It isn’t something that we ever take off the table but it isn’t something that we want to see either, it is the last line of defence.
“But what I would say this morning is the country once again needs to come together and recognise there is a serious challenge.
“The virus is accelerating. Unfortunately, it isn’t just cases increasing, it’s also the number of people ending up in hospital increasing.”
