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| Coronavirus: Lockdown measures reintroduced in Preston | Coronavirus: Lockdown measures reintroduced in Preston |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Lockdown measures are being reintroduced in Preston from midnight after a rise in Covid-19 cases. | Lockdown measures are being reintroduced in Preston from midnight after a rise in Covid-19 cases. |
| Residents in the Lancashire city are facing stricter restrictions, which include banning separate households from meeting each other at home. | Residents in the Lancashire city are facing stricter restrictions, which include banning separate households from meeting each other at home. |
| The council had already asked residents to follow extra precautions in a bid to halt the spread of the virus. | The council had already asked residents to follow extra precautions in a bid to halt the spread of the virus. |
| This brings Preston in line with measures in east Lancashire, Greater Manchester and parts of west Yorkshire. | This brings Preston in line with measures in east Lancashire, Greater Manchester and parts of west Yorkshire. |
| Health Secretary Matt Hancock has confirmed the restrictions in these areas will remain in place "as the data does not yet show a decrease in the transmission of this terrible virus". | Health Secretary Matt Hancock has confirmed the restrictions in these areas will remain in place "as the data does not yet show a decrease in the transmission of this terrible virus". |
| Any changes to the measures will be announced by 14 August following a review next week, he added. | |
| He said the decision to extend the restrictions to Preston was "at the request of the local area". | He said the decision to extend the restrictions to Preston was "at the request of the local area". |
| 'Important we act' | |
| Preston's new restrictions mean that from midnight, people from different households will not be allowed to meet in homes or private gardens. | |
| It also bans members of two different households from mixing in pubs and restaurants, although individual households will still be able to visit hospitality venues. | |
| Social bubbles are exempt from the restrictions, and residents can meet in groups of up to six - or more than six if exclusively from two households - in outdoor areas such as parks and beer gardens. | |
| Analysis | |
| By Daniel Wainwright, BBC England Data Unit | |
| New cases of Covid-19 in Preston increased substantially with 47 (33 per 100,000 population) in the week to 3 August, compared with 29 (20 per 100,000) the week before. | |
| Blackburn with Darwen, Pendle and Burnley recorded higher rates in the same week - all of which are subject to the current tightened lockdown in east Lancashire. | |
| Preston's figure is likely to rise over the next few days as figures for 4 August show 17 cases recorded so far that day, but data for the past few days is always subject to revision. | |
| The measures for Preston will be kept under review with potential for even stronger localised restrictions from the local authority if the new rules on gatherings are not followed, the government said. | |
| Lancashire's director of public health, Dr Sakthi Karunanithi, said it was "extremely important that we act now" following a significant increase in positive cases. | |
| "I also want to be clear that this is affecting people from both south Asian and white ethnic backgrounds, particularly those living in poor socio-economic conditions in our city," he said. | |
| Pools, indoor gyms and other leisure facilities will continue to remain closed in Leicester, Bradford and Blackburn. | |
| Shielding will also continue for individuals in Blackburn with Darwen, and Leicester city. | |
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