Revealed: 36 other areas that could follow Leicester into local lockdown

30 June 2020, 19:08

A further 36 other parts of England could follow in Leicester's footsteps by going into local lockdown. Picture: PA

By Nick Hardinges

A further 36 cities or counties in England could follow in Leicester's footsteps by going into a local lockdown.

On Monday evening, Health Secretary Matt Hancock announced Leicester would go back into lockdown from today onwards following a surge in coronavirus cases.

The relaxation of lockdown measures across the country on Saturday 4 July will therefore not apply to the newly-restricted city.

On Tuesday, non-essential shops closed, while schools are set to shut to most pupils from Thursday. Likewise, non-essential travel into, out of and around the East Midlands city is being advised against.

Mr Hancock said its seven-day infection rate was 135 cases per 100,000 people, which is three times as much as the next highest city. In addition, one in 10 of all positive cases across the country have been in Leicester.

But Covid-19 infections are on the rise in almost one in four areas of England, with 36 of the 151 upper-tier local authorities in England now seeing a new rise in cases, according to Public Health England data.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock announces local lockdown in Leicester

For example, some places, including Doncaster, have experienced a larger week-on-week increase in new cases, with most examples being urban, densely populated areas.

The South Yorkshire town has seen a spike in news cases from 11 in the week to 19 June, up to 32 last week. While in Derbyshire there were 25 new cases in the week to 26 June, up from 23 the week before. Both areas now have more than 1,000 positive infections, with Derbyshire's tally standing at 1,818.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has repeatedly insisted he would be willing to enforce regional lockdowns if necessary.

Some areas that had previously detected no new cases, such as Sunderland, York and the Isle of Wight, recorded one or two new cases last week.

However, many places, like Leicester, are experiencing even higher numbers.

In Medway, one of the most densely populated parts of Kent, there has been an increase from 10 cases in the week to 19 June, up to 17 last week. The rest of the county enjoyed a roughly 19 per cent drop in cases, but remains the worst in the country for cases last week - dropping from 120 to 101.

Leicester mayor says they will need Government support during lockdown

Some part of London have been more successful than others at controlling the spread of the virus in recent weeks. For example, City of London, Islington, Hackney, Lambeth and Croydon all experienced no new cases last week.

Whereas Hammersmith and Fulham, Hounslow, Ealing, Westminster, Brent and Kensington and Chelsea are all in England's top ten for the highest number of new cases.

Further north, Staffordshire, Manchester, Bradford and Birmingham all still have a relatively high number of cases but have seen a drop in infections.

Local authorities will control the virus by closing down settings such as businesses and schools where there are flare-ups - and contact tracing those affected. The prime minister has described this as a "whack-a-mole" strategy.

Croydon, Wokingham, South Gloucestershire, Bath and North East Somerset, Rutland and City of London have experienced no new cases for the last two weeks.

Leicester hairdresser Katie Katon says staff will be devastated if the salon cannot open on Saturday

Here is the full list of local authorities that have seen an increase in positive infections between the week ending 19 June and the week ending 26 June:

- Leicester
- Doncaster
- Derbyshire
- Hammersmith and Fulham
- Medway
- Hounslow
- Ealing
- Westminster
- Brent
- Kensington and Chelsea
- Sandwell
- Havering
- Wandsworth
- Wakefield
- Haringey
- Barking and Dagenham
- Plymouth
- Walsall
- Enfield
- Redbridge
- Wiltshire
- Suffolk
- Gloucestershire
- Harrow
- Tower Hamlets
- Slough
- Wigan
- Gateshead
- Milton Keynes
- Richmond-upon-Thames
- Windsor and Maidenhead
- Sunderland
- York
- Redcar and Cleveland
- Portsmouth
- Isle of Wight