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| Coronavirus: Blackburn and Luton 'areas of intervention' | |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Residents in Luton and Blackburn have been told lockdown measures set to be eased this weekend will not be lifted in the towns. | Residents in Luton and Blackburn have been told lockdown measures set to be eased this weekend will not be lifted in the towns. |
| Public Health England (PHE) data released on Thursday showed both had been marked as "areas for intervention" due to a spike in cases. | |
| Gyms and leisure centres in the rest of England are due to re-open on Saturday. | |
| The leader of Blackburn with Darwen Council said it had already decided to keep leisure facilities closed. | The leader of Blackburn with Darwen Council said it had already decided to keep leisure facilities closed. |
| Health officials in the Lancashire town had said a phased lockdown could happen if the virus rise was not halted by Monday. | Health officials in the Lancashire town had said a phased lockdown could happen if the virus rise was not halted by Monday. |
| Council leader Mohammed Khan said: "We feel that accelerating our control measures in this way will assist us to move out of having higher Covid-19 rates even faster- we are grateful for the government's help in our local plans on this" | Council leader Mohammed Khan said: "We feel that accelerating our control measures in this way will assist us to move out of having higher Covid-19 rates even faster- we are grateful for the government's help in our local plans on this" |
| Luton council leader Hazel Simmons said: "The safety of the public is the priority for us. Not opening the the gyms as is part of our ongoing work to tackle coronavirus. | |
| "Better not to open or delay opening than opening and then having to close them." | |
| Earlier, Luton Borough Council sent residents in certain postcode areas an "urgent message" urging them to get tested for coronavirus due to a rise in cases in the town. | Earlier, Luton Borough Council sent residents in certain postcode areas an "urgent message" urging them to get tested for coronavirus due to a rise in cases in the town. |
| The National Covid-19 Surveillance Report said an area of intervention was one "where there is divergence from the measures in place in the rest of England". | |
| It said these areas have a "detailed action plan in place" because of "the significance of the spread" of coronavirus. | |
| The report said Leicester and nearby Oadby and Wigston continued to be areas of intervention. | |
| Meanwhile Pendle, near Blackburn, has been described as an area of enhanced support, while Calderdale, Northampton and Rotherham have become "areas of concern". | Meanwhile Pendle, near Blackburn, has been described as an area of enhanced support, while Calderdale, Northampton and Rotherham have become "areas of concern". |
| Find BBC News: East of England on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. If you have a story suggestion email eastofenglandnews@bbc.co.uk | Find BBC News: East of England on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. If you have a story suggestion email eastofenglandnews@bbc.co.uk |