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Birmingham is preparing for an announcement on new lockdown measures as its number of infections continued to rise.
The most recent data for the seven days to September 7 showed that Birmingham had the second highest rate of new cases in the country, at 85.4 per 100,000 residents.
In general, measures are expected to focus on banning gatherings, and bans on visitors to homes and gardens are expected. Full story here.
The announcement will be from the Health Department and there is a regional briefing today at 2pm.
West Midlands Mayor Andy Street said earlier this week that the restrictions were “likely”, and Labor MP Jess Phillips echoed his thoughts.
The rules and restrictions are yet to be seen, but Street said home gatherings were likely a factor behind the increase in cases.
“Private settings are an important part of this,” he said.
“The younger population has to take responsibility, think about their parents and grandparents.”
City and regional leaders are keeping quiet on the long-awaited announcement from Health Secretary Matt Hancock and Public Health England.
But reliable sources indicate, as predicted, that new restrictions are coming, with a focus on family gatherings.
You can follow our updates live here.
The current count of positive infections places Birmingham third in a national table of local authority areas with the highest infection rates, behind Bolton and Sunderland.
Bolton’s seven-day rate is currently 143 cases per 100,000, and Sunderland is at 84, according to data from NHS Digital.
There is concern that Birmingham’s neighbor Solihull will also see new restrictions imposed with the latest infection rate for the week ending September 8 at 62.8.
Another neighboring municipality, Sandwell, which has grappled with stubbornly high rates for weeks, is also believed to be at risk of further action.
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