Birmingham could be placed into lockdown this week

Birmingham could see tough new lockdown measures by the end of this week as coronavirus infections have surged.

Bradford is also under threat as nightime curfews could be introduced, whilst Health Secretary Matt Hancock has imposed a 10pm to 5am curfew in Bolton.

In the seven day to 5 September, Birmingham has recorded an infection rates of 62.4 cases per 100,000 population, compared to 28.1 the week before.

Birmingham narrowly escaped a local lockdown that was imposed by the government in Leicester and Greater Manchester.

The Health Secretary was asked by LBC Radio, is Christmas cancelled? Hancock said, “I hope not but we clearly need to act. This is a really simple rule which says you cannot socialise with more than six people.

“We want to set out very clearly for everybody – so that everybody has the chance to see these rules, read them and then to follow them, and that’s why it will come into force on Monday.

“You have seen that where there is a big spike like Bolton, that’s where we will take action immediately.”

He has also refused to rule out a second national lockdown, Hancock said, “Our goal is to avoid having to do anything more drastic by people following the rules.”

On the second lockdown, he added, “I wouldn’t make a vow like that.

“You wouldn’t expect me to – I am the Health Secretary in the middle of a pandemic where we are trying to keep the country safe.”