The UK’s daily coronavirus figures have slightly fallen for the second day in a row, being 6,914 on Thursday compared to 7,108 on Wednesday.
The number of deaths has also dropped to 57 within 28 days of testing positive for the virus, which is down from 71 on Wednesday.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock told MPs in the House of Commons on Thursday, that Liverpool and the wider Merseyside region, Middlesbrough, Hartlepool and Warrington are now ordered to into social lockdown.
From this weekend the new social lockdown restrictions will take place affecting more than 1m people.
However, the Mayor of Middlesbrough Andy Preston, has said on Thursday that he will “defy the government and we do not accept these measures.”
Preston said that the new restrictions imposed on Middlesbrough are based on “factual inaccuracies.”
“I do not accept the statement at all. I do not accept these measures.
But Simon Clarke, Conservative MP for Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland, said in response, “Earlier this week I was one of five MPs who urged Middlesbrough Council not to request further restrictions over and above those already imposed nationally.
“Nonetheless, the Mayor of Middlesbrough and the council asked central government to impose restrictions against household mixing and that has been done.
“There is now nothing constructive to be done other than to urge people to respect the law so we can leave these restrictions as quickly as possible.
“We are making the measures consistent across the NE and that is helpful for clarity.
“Now we are in these restrictions it is now of the utmost importance that we all get behind them and make sure they work for the common good.”