More than a quarter of the UK population is set to be under coronavirus lockdown rules, as new measures come into force this weekend.
From Saturday in England, households in Leeds, Wigan, Stockport and Blackpool will be banned from mixing in each other’s homes or gardens.
In Wales, Llanelli will be subject to new rules from 18:00 BST, with Cardiff and Swansea following 24 hours later.
It comes as the rate at which the virus is spreading appears to be speeding up.
The R number – which indicates how many people someone with coronavirus infects – has risen in the last week and now stands at 1.2 to 1.5. A number above 1 means the virus is spreading within the community.
Meanwhile, the daily number of confirmed Covid-19 cases in the UK reached a record high of 6,874, government figures on Friday showed
Read more: Coronavirus: More than a quarter of UK under stricter rules
