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Liverpool, Warrington, Hartlepool and Middlesbrough have become the latest regions to enter local lockdowns, resulting in more than a third of the UK population living under increased restrictions.
The new restrictions in the North West of England, similar to those imposed in the North East earlier this week, took effect from 12:01 am on Saturday.
During his announcement Secretary of Health Matt hancock urged residents of all four regions not to mix socially with those of other homes, except in outdoor spaces such as parks and outdoor hospitality settings.
And he asked them to avoid “all but essential travel,” which means that people can still go to work and school.
Hancock said the measures were necessary because “in some parts of the country, the virus it is spreading rapidly, “with cases shooting up to 268 per 100,000 people in Liverpool.
But the second peak in COVID-19 the cases were “highly localized,” he said, adding that recent actions were having a “positive impact.”
The prime minister has defended the current series of local confinements and has asked for patience in the fight against the disease.
Johnson has faced a riot at his banks in recent days over the way ministers have introduced such local closures without giving MPs a voice.
But in an interview with the Telegraph, he said there was a “moral imperative” to implement life-saving measures during what he called a “once-in-a-century event.”
Addressing the unpopularity of the 10 pm bar curfew and other social restrictions, the prime minister told the newspaper that he sympathized “with people who are irritated by the restrictions.”
He added: “I think everyone is fed up, I just urge people to be a little patient.”
“We will get over it and save a ton of lives, and that’s really the best I can say.
“I think it is a moral imperative to save lives where you can.”
His comments come as more college students tested positive, with Newcastle-upon-Tyne-based University of Northumbria said it was aware of 770 cases as of Friday, 78 of which are symptomatic..
The new figures showed that the reproduction number, or R-value, of the coronavirus transmission across the country still remains above 1 and continues to rise.
Data released by the SAGE government advisory committee shows the estimate of R for the whole of the UK, the rate at which the virus spreads, is between 1.3 and 1.6. Last week, the R number was between 1.2 and 1.5.
