Britain has imposed tougher restrictions on people and businesses in parts of northeastern England amid efforts to stem the spread of COVID-19 before the colder winter months.
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Health Secretary Matt Hancock told the House of Commons that the new measures would include a ban on residents socialising with people outside their own households, ordering leisure and entertainment venues to close from 10pm to 5am and restricting bars and restaurants to table service only.
Hancock said the six areas, centred around the city of Newcastle, all had "concerning rates of infection".
He also promised 2.7 billion pounds ($A4.8 billion) to support the National Health Service this winter.
"The battle against coronavirus is not over, and while we strain every sinew to spring free from its clutches, with winter on the horizon we must prepare, bolster our defences and come together once again against this common foe," Hancock said.
The comments came after British Prime Minister Boris Johnson warned that authorities will have to impose tougher measures to combat the spread of COVID-19 and "protect" the Christmas holidays.
In a piece published in The Sun newspaper, he said that the only way to be certain the country can enjoy the winter holidays "is to be tough now".
"So if we can grip it now," Johnson said, Britain can "stop the surge, arrest the spike, stop the second hump of the dromedary, flatten the second hump".
The United Kingdom recorded 3395 new positive cases of COVID-19 on Thursday compared with 3991 the day before, official statistics showed.
Wednesday's tally had been the highest daily figure for new cases since May 8.
Australian Associated Press