UK government brings in new legal restrictions for northeast England

British health minister Matt Hancock said on Monday the government was introducing legal restrictions on households mixing in northeastern England to try to reduce a growing number of coronavirus cases.

British health minister Matt Hancock said on Monday the government was introducing legal restrictions on households mixing in northeastern England to try to reduce a growing number of coronavirus cases. "Unfortunately, the number of cases continues to rise sharply," Hancock told parliament.

"We know that a large number of these infections are taking place in indoor settings outside the home. And so, at the request of the local councils, with whom we've been working closely, we will introduce legal restrictions on indoor mixing between households in any setting." He said the changes would apply to: "parts of the northeast where we introduced local action a fortnight ago".