Health Secretary Matt Hancock told the House of Commons on Tuesday that tighter restrictions are to be implemented in Bolton.
People in Bolton will not be allowed to socialise with anyone from other households.
A number of pubs have been identified as spreading the virus and as a result, restaurants will only be allowed take away food and other venues will have to close between 10am and 5am.
Hancock warned that it will become illegal to meet anyone from outside your household in Bolton.
Hancock told MPs, “Unfortunately after improving for several weeks, we’ve seen a very significant rise in cases in Bolton.
“Bolton is up to 120 cases per 100,000 of population, the highest case rate in the country and I’m publishing the data behind the decisions that we’ve taken.”
The Health Secretary warned of fears of a second wave of coronavirus cases, that “just because we’ve come through one peak, it does not mean we cannot see another one coming.”
On Monday Hancock spoke of his fears that England will see a second wave.
He told LBC, “The rise in the number of cases we have seen in the last few days is concerning.
“It is concerning because we have seen a rise in cases in France, in Spain, in some other countries across Europe – nobody wants to see a second wave here.
“It just reinforces the point that people must follow the social distancing rules, they are so important.”
The deputy chief medical officer for England, Professor Jonathan Van-Tam said coronavirus rises are “of great concern at this point.”
He added, “We’ve been able to relax a bit over the summer, the disease levels have been really quite low in the UK through the summer but these latest figures really show us that much as people might like to say ‘oh well it’s gone away’ – this hasn’t gone away.
“And if we’re not careful, if we don’t take this incredibly seriously from this point in, we’re going to have a bumpy ride over the next few months.”
Dr David Nabarro, the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) special envoy for the global COVID-19 response and chair of global health at Imperial College London, warned that a second wave of coronavirus “is coming” for the UK.
Speaking to Sky News Dr Nabarro gave a grim warning, he said, “I’m afraid it’s coming.
“I don’t like calling it a second wave, I just say there are going to be more spikes and surges of cases.
“Because the virus hasn’t changed. It’s the same virus that came and caused so much trouble earlier this year.
“It’s just been lurking. We’ve been very good at holding it back.
“But now as life gets going again, as young people go to university and there’s some movement around with holidays and work, I’m afraid it does mean the virus is going to come back.”
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