Derbyshire among areas in England at risk of 'local lockdown' as coronavirus cases spike

Derbyshire’s number of new cases rose last week, placing it among 36 of the 151 upper-tier local authorities in England where new confirmed cases of Covid-19 are rising.

Today government officials have been discussing what local lockdowns could look like if they were put in place in areas where the disease appears to be spreading.

Leicester is first city to face extended restrictions beyond the July 4 date when measures are due be eased across the rest of the country.

It was confirmed yesterday by mayor Sir Peter Soulsby (June 29) that restrictions would remain in place in the city for a further two weeks after July 4.

Areas placed under local lockdown will not see the reopening of social spaces such as pubs, restaurants and bars, which will happen across the country from Saturday.

At the moment the way that local authorities try to prevent coronavirus spreading is to close businesses or schools where the flare-ups take place.

Questions have been raised as to whether local public health authorities would have the power to close down whole areas in a bid to prevent the spread of the disease, and where the boundaries that separated regions in local lockdown from neighbouring ones that are not would lie.