Wider area of England put under most stringent COVID restrictions

A wider area of east and southeast England will be under the most stringent restrictions to tackle the rising number of COVID-19 infections, British health minister Matt Hancock said on Thursday, adding the measures would start on Saturday.

Saying that cases were rising and putting pressure on Britain's health service, Hancock told parliament: "It is therefore necessary to apply tier 3 measures across a much wider area of the east and southeast of England."