Government expected to announce new round of local lockdowns across northeast
Swathes of the North East of England are expected to be brought under local lockdown measures from Friday to stop the spread of the coronavirus, according to local media reports.
The Northern Echo reports measures could include a ban on socialising between different households and a 10pm curfew on pubs, adding that Newcastle, Northumberland, North Tyneside, South Tyneside, Gateshead, County Durham and Sunderland are all expected to be impacted.
Newcastle City Council leader Nick Forbes said "additional, temporary" measures are being planned to prevent another full lockdown - and that health secretary Matt Hancock is expected to make an announcement on the matter on Thursday morning.
He tweeted: "Some additional, temporary restrictions are being planned to prevent another full lockdown."
One Twitter user asked when the announcement would be made, adding that the "uncertainty creates lots of anxiety for people".
He replied: "We are waiting confirmation from Government on the final version of the regulations; I am expecting an announcement by the Health Secretary at 11am tomorrow."
The most recent figures show Newcastle to have recorded a sharp increase in its weekly rate, up from 51.2 to 64.1, with 194 new cases in the seven days to September 13.
It comes after local measures in the likes of Greater Manchester and Birmingham have been put in place in a bid to address rising rates of infection.
