Oldham hit with new lockdown measures after spike in coronavirus cases
Some lockdown measures have been reintroduced in Oldham after a “dramatic” spike in cases of coronavirus over the weekend.
Residents should not allow social visitors into their homes and must keep a safe distance of 2m from others.
Those who are shielding have been told to continue doing so for another two weeks, until 14 August.
Oldham Council’s deputy leader councillor Arooj Shah said the move was an attempt to avoid “strict local lockdown” measures, which could see restaurants and shops close again to halt the spread of the disease.
While originally on Public Health England’s watchlist of areas of concern for potential lockdown re-entry, Oldham was removed from that list last week.
However data this week showed 114 cases recorded in the seven days to 24 July — a rise of more than four times on the week before, in which it reported 17 cases.
“A significant proportion of recent cases are multiple individuals from one household showing that household spread is a real issue — especially in households with large families,” Oldham Council said.
“The best way to avoid infection is to limit contact with others as much as possible and to stay home wherever you can, including working from home.”
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said earlier today that mainland Europe may be experiencing the start of a second coronavirus wave, defending fresh quarantine rules imposed on Brits returning from Spain.
“What we have to do is take swift and decisive action where we think that the risks are starting to bubble up again,” he said.
“Let’s be absolutely clear about what’s happening in Europe – amongst some of our European friends, I’m afraid you are starting to see in some places the signs of a second wave of the pandemic.”
Alongside Oldham, a number of areas in the UK are now in various stages of localised lockdown, including Luton, Bedfordshire, Blackburn with Darwen and Leicester.