UK mulls even tighter curbs as coronavirus infections hit record figure

More parts of UK could be placed under strictest level of lockdown as ministers hold talks on Wednesday after country registered 36,804 positive coronavirus cases, largest daily number of infections recorded at any time during pandemic.

UK Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick said new mutation of coronavirus is behind spike to a large extent but it remains “very concentrated” in London and south-east of England, where Tier 4 stay-at-home lockdown measures are alrey in place.

" new variant is much less prevalent elsewhere, but re is rising evidence that you can find it in a range of or parts of country. So question is, wher we should take action to try to he that off," he explained.

“ tiered system was designed before we knew full ferocity of new variant, and so we do have to make sure it's sufficiently robust to be able to withstand this and to stop cases just rising at very worrying levels y are w in parts of country," he said.

It comes as new variant, named VUI-202012/01 and with much higher transmissibility, led to several countries including India cutting off transport links with UK in an effort to try and contain its spre outside Britain.

backlog of lorries built up on UK border with France has w begun to grually clear up after an agreement was reached.

France agreed to lift its ban on UK arrivals on condition of a negative coronavirus test. However, re have been reports of scuffles on UK-France border as truckers face days ahe before nearly 1,500 lorries can start moving towards ir destinations.

During what is an annual festive and holiday period in UK with Christmas and New Year, millions in country have h ir plans to meet friends and family scuppered after UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson abandoned a planned five-day “Christmas bubble” as scientists confirmed new Covid variant was spreing more rapidly.

Under revised rules, only people living in tiers one to three are permitted to socialise in a bubble of three households on December 25 for Christmas Day.

Those in Tier 4 areas must only celebrate Christmas with members of ir own household and support bubble. y will t be allowed to travel to or tiers to see family and friends.

Opposition Labour Party has accused Johnson of having "always been behind Covid curve" and urged him to move quickly.

"If scientific vice is tougher restrictions, don't sit on it for weeks like you did last time, don't dir, don't delay – because that has disastrous consequences, take action that is needed w to save lives," said Labour’s Show Health Secretary Jon Ashworth.

However, Labour leer Sir Keir Starmer has written to Johnson to say his party will back any government moves to tighten restrictions if that is what scientists recommend.