CORONA 'TINDERBOX'
Leicester accounts for 10% of ALL new coronavirus cases in UK with 1,000 falling ill in last 2 weeks alone
LEICESTER accounts for 10 per cent of ALL cases in the UK with nearly 1,000 contracting the killer bug in the past two weeks alone.
Last night said there have been 944 confirmed cases of coronavirus in the past two weeks.
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The council's figures include those who tested positive in hospital and wide settings such as testing centres.
And as cases are starting to drop, 10 per cent of tests in the city are currently coming back positive - five times the national rate.
Rates of infection in the city are now three times that of the town with the next highest rate.
Non-essential shops in the city will have to shut again in a local lockdown, and schools will close for most pupils from Thursday - taking it back to the more severe restrictions of May.
While the rest of the country opens up on Saturday, the city's pubs, restaurants and hairdressers will instead remain closed for two more weeks — until July 18 — at least.
City mayor Sir Peter Soulsby said: "These measures are stricter than we anticipated but we understand the need for firm action.
"I am determined that we will make this work and to minimise the time these additional measures need to be in place in the city."
Yesterday, Sir Peter accused the government of "picking on the city" after after Public Health England (PHE) sent him a report of the situation.
He told the BBC: "I've looked at this report and, frankly, it's obviously been cobbled together very hastily.
"It's superficial and its description of Leicester is inaccurate and certainly it does not provide us with the information we need if we are to remain restricted for two weeks longer than the rest of the country."
LOCAL LOCKDOWN
This morning, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said he didn't know why Leicester was so badly hit.
When asked about probable causes such poverty, language difficulties and higher-density housing he told BBC Breakfast: "We are still doing the work to understand exactly why the outbreak has been so bad in Leicester.
"But lots of the reasons that you mentioned just then are familiar to me and people will find them intuitive."
The Department of Health has deployed four military-run mobile testing units to the area to check residens for the disease.
Furthermore, thousands of home testing kits are being made available.
Health chiefs hope to track and trace as much as possible to try and slow the spread of the virus in the town.
They will also be contacting businesses that are open to encourage them to take measures to control the spread of the virus.
Adverts in multiple languages on TV, radio and street signs will encourage people to stay at home.
Officials will review the situation in two weeks before deciding to ease the restrictions or keep them.
Mr Hancock said yesterday that Leicester would be the only place in England not allowed to ease restrictions.
Speaking to the Commons yesterday, he said: “We cannot recommend the easing of the national lockdown, set to take place on July 4, happens in Leicester.
“Having taken clinical advice on the actions necessary, and discussed them with the local team in Leicester and Leicestershire, we have made some difficult but important decisions.
“We have decided that from tomorrow, non-essential retail will have to close.
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“And, as children have been particularly impacted by this outbreak, schools will also need to close from Thursday — staying open for vulnerable children and children of critical workers as they did throughout.
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“Unfortunately, the clinical advice is that the relaxations of shielding measures cannot now take place in Leicester.
“We recommend to people in Leicester — stay at home as much as you can. And we recommend against all but essential travel to, from and in Leicester.”
Leicester Mayor Sir Peter Soulsby says the city will need 'extra help' as restrictions are reinstated
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