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| Covid-19: Daily reported UK cases rise by a quarter | Covid-19: Daily reported UK cases rise by a quarter |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| The number of daily reported Covid-19 cases has risen by a quarter, according to the latest UK government figures. | The number of daily reported Covid-19 cases has risen by a quarter, according to the latest UK government figures. |
| There have been 6,178 coronavirus cases in the UK in the last 24 hours, up 1,252 since Tuesday, and 37 deaths. | There have been 6,178 coronavirus cases in the UK in the last 24 hours, up 1,252 since Tuesday, and 37 deaths. |
| Yvonne Doyle, Public Health England's medical director, said it was "essential" the public followed the new measures brought in to curb the spread. | Yvonne Doyle, Public Health England's medical director, said it was "essential" the public followed the new measures brought in to curb the spread. |
| Tighter restrictions were announced across the UK on Tuesday, including a 22:00 closing time for pubs in England. | Tighter restrictions were announced across the UK on Tuesday, including a 22:00 closing time for pubs in England. |
| People are being told to work from home if they can, rules on face coverings have been expanded and the number of people allowed at weddings in England has been halved. | People are being told to work from home if they can, rules on face coverings have been expanded and the number of people allowed at weddings in England has been halved. |
| Hospitality venues in Scotland will also have to close early, but in Wales restrictions are limited to stopping alcohol sales at 22:00. Scotland and Northern Ireland have also gone further by limiting households from mixing indoors. | Hospitality venues in Scotland will also have to close early, but in Wales restrictions are limited to stopping alcohol sales at 22:00. Scotland and Northern Ireland have also gone further by limiting households from mixing indoors. |
| Meanwhile, Scotland recorded 486 new cases on Wednesday - the highest daily total since the pandemic began. First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said it was "a real cause for concern", although she added that more people were being tested now than at the peak of the outbreak. | |
| Reacting to the UK figures, Ms Doyle said: "New measures have been bought in to stop the spread of the virus and it is essential that you follow them. | |
| "You should work from home if you can, must now wear a face covering in retail and hospitality settings, unless you are eating or drinking, and not be in a group larger than six people. | |
| "We are testing much more than we were earlier on in the outbreak and our local Health Protection teams are working with local councils and Directors of Public Health to manage the increase." | |
| We should be very careful about reading too much into a single day's rise - the jump of more than 1,000 is rapid and if repeated would mean daily case numbers doubling in less than a week. But figures can fluctuate from day to day. | We should be very careful about reading too much into a single day's rise - the jump of more than 1,000 is rapid and if repeated would mean daily case numbers doubling in less than a week. But figures can fluctuate from day to day. |
| Nonetheless, the UK has been warned it should be prepared for cases to continue growing. The figure for new cases is well below what was seen at the peak, which was estimated at 100,000 cases a day. We don't know for sure, since a lack of testing meant the system was only picking up the tip of the iceberg then. | Nonetheless, the UK has been warned it should be prepared for cases to continue growing. The figure for new cases is well below what was seen at the peak, which was estimated at 100,000 cases a day. We don't know for sure, since a lack of testing meant the system was only picking up the tip of the iceberg then. |
| Clearly we are not picking up all the cases now - the evidence from last week's surveillance report suggested perhaps only half were being identified by the testing programme. | Clearly we are not picking up all the cases now - the evidence from last week's surveillance report suggested perhaps only half were being identified by the testing programme. |
| What matters now is whether this scale of rise is repeated in the coming days and weeks - and how that translates into hospitalisations and deaths, both of which are going up too. | What matters now is whether this scale of rise is repeated in the coming days and weeks - and how that translates into hospitalisations and deaths, both of which are going up too. |
| The data from Spain and France suggests that sharp rises can slow, and upward trends in admissions to hospital can be reversed. | The data from Spain and France suggests that sharp rises can slow, and upward trends in admissions to hospital can be reversed. |
| But, make no mistake, the UK is entering a crucial point in the battle against the virus. | But, make no mistake, the UK is entering a crucial point in the battle against the virus. |
| Earlier Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab defended the "balanced, targeted and proportionate" new coronavirus measures amid criticism from some scientists. | Earlier Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab defended the "balanced, targeted and proportionate" new coronavirus measures amid criticism from some scientists. |
| Prof John Edmunds, who advises the government, said they did not go "anywhere near far enough", casting doubt on the changes of the R number - which measures how quickly the virus is spreading - being below one by Christmas. | |
| "To slow the epidemic down will mean putting the brakes on very hard. I suspect we will see very stringent measures coming in through the UK but it will be too late," he warned. | |
| Prof Peter Openshaw, a fellow member of the government's Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage), said a ban on households mixing indoors in England "ought to be instituted sooner rather than later". | |
| He said: "I think [a ban] may well be coming very soon. I would think if we wait two or three weeks, it will be too late." | |
| The government's chief medical adviser, Prof Chris Whitty, is reported to believe it is inevitable England will to have to follow Scotland's latest move, according to the Times. | |
| Another scientist, Prof Carl Heneghan, from Oxford University, said the measures seemed to show the emphasis of public policy was moving towards personal responsibility, similar to the approach taken in Sweden. | |
| He told the BBC: "We're starting to understand that we're trying to control the spread of infection as opposed to suppress it." | |
| He added it was important to give these new measures time to work, maintain a clear and consistent public message and not to panic. | |
| What are the new rules? | |
| In England: | |
| In Scotland: | |
| In Wales: | |
| In Northern Ireland: | |
| How will the new rules affect you? Tell us by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. | |
| Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also get in touch in the following ways: |