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London The central English city of Leicester could be the country’s first to face a local lockdown due to a rise in coronavirus cases, the UK’s Home Secretary Priti Patel said on Sunday.
The Midlands city recorded 658 new cases in the two weeks up to June 16, many linked to fresh outbreaks at food production plants.
Patel told the BBC that there have been “flare-ups across the country in recent weeks, in just the last three or four weeks in particular”.
“For local outbreaks, it is appropriate to have local solutions in terms of infection control, social distancing, screening and many tools,” she added.
“There will be support going into Leicester.” Reports in the Sunday Times newspaper said the government was set to reimpose strict lockdown rules on Leicester “within the next few days”.
Leicester’s population stands at around 340,000 people, according to official figures. (AFP)
The Midlands city recorded 658 new cases in the two weeks up to June 16, many linked to fresh outbreaks at food production plants.
Patel told the BBC that there have been “flare-ups across the country in recent weeks, in just the last three or four weeks in particular”.
“For local outbreaks, it is appropriate to have local solutions in terms of infection control, social distancing, screening and many tools,” she added.
“There will be support going into Leicester.” Reports in the Sunday Times newspaper said the government was set to reimpose strict lockdown rules on Leicester “within the next few days”.
Leicester’s population stands at around 340,000 people, according to official figures. (AFP)
