UPDATED: The 25 Places Where Covid Infections Are Rising The Fastest InAs coronavirus infections continue to increase across most areas of England, Boris Johnson has indicated tougher restrictions to deal with the crisis could be on the way in the next few weeks.
The PM said he was “fully reconciled” to a probable tightening of the anti-Covid measures and that the already “very tough” tiering system would likely need tightening.
Speaking to the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show on Sunday, Johnson said: “There are obviously a range of tougher measures that that we would have to consider.
“I’m not going to speculate now about what they would be, but I’m sure that all our viewers and our listeners will understand what the sort of things… clearly school closures, which we had to do in March is one of those things.”
Later on Sunday, Keir Starmer called for a national lockdown to be imposed “within 24 hours”.
He told reporters: “The virus is clearly out of control and there’s no good the prime minister hinting that further restrictions are coming into place in a week, or two or three.
“That delay has been the source of so many problems. So, I say bring in those restrictions now, national restrictions, within the next 24 hours. That has to be the first step towards controlling the virus.”
The 25 Places Where Covid Infections Are Rising The Fastest
The data below is taken from NHS Digital and relates to the seven-day period up to December 31. It shows the percentage rise in cases followed by the number of cases per 100,000 people in brackets.
For context, the government’s own threshold for quarantining overseas travellers is 20 cases per 100,000 people over a seven-day average.
Brits visiting countries with higher case rates are required to quarantine for 10 days upon their return.
Liverpool, South Tyneside, Telford and Wrekin, Walsall, Bristol were not in the top 25 just two days ago.
- Cornwall and Isles of Scilly 161% (263.2)
- Halton 143% (511.6)
- Wirral 134% (515.4
- Knowsley 124% (468.6)
- Shropshire 116% (228.1)
- Sefton 110% (400.9)
- Redcar and Cleveland TIER 4 105% (260.3)
- Cumbria TIER 4 88% (436.0)
- Sunderland TIER 4 87% (399.0)
- York 86% (450.1)
- Bournemouth Tier 4 85% (419.9)
- Liverpool 78% (378.5)
- Cambridgeshire TIER 4 71% (407.8)
- South Tyneside TIER 4 70% (423.9)
- Telford and Wrekin 67% (270.8)
- North Yorkshire 67% (300.8)
- Dorset 66% (207.1)
- Isle of Wight 64% (377.4)
- Walsall 63% (515.6)
- Sandwell TIER 4 62% (577.9)
- Cheshire West TIER 4 62% (440.4)
- Torbay 61% (106.4)
- Swindon TIER 4 61% (405.5)
- Bristol 55% (296.5)
- South Gloucestershire 55% (288.7)
Elsewhere, the highest rates of infection remain concentrated in tier 4 areas in London and the South-East though the rate of increase has slowed and in many cases, reduced.
- Thurrock -13% (1,197.1)
- Barking and Dagenham 5% (1,157.3)
- Redbridge -3% (1,138.2)
- Newham 7% (1,048.9)
- Havering -19% (1,016.4)
- Enfield -4% (993.3)
- Tower Hamlets -4% (967.5)
- Bexley -15% (960.6)
- Southend-on-Sea -20% (911.4)
- Medway -8% (910.1)
The new strain of Covid-19 transmits faster and is most prevalent in London and the South East, where hospitals have become stretched.
Professor Sir Mark Walport, who is a member of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage), said it was “pretty clear” tougher restrictions were needed.
Asked if Tier 4 measures were enough, the former chief scientific adviser said: “It’s the Tier 4 restrictions, it’s obeying them.
“It is thinking about breaking essentially every possible route of transmission we possibly can.
“Those are the things that are absolutely necessary and it is pretty clear we’re going to need more.”