10 MILLION IN LOCKDOWN

Tough new local curbs are imposed all over UK... and Armagh is next

LOCAL lockdowns have left 10 million people living under tough restrictions as Covid-19 cases soar in the UK.

Armagh became the latest area in Northern Ireland to face new curbs from 5pm today as infections surged.

Health Minister Robin Swann said yesterday: “I make no apology for seeking to do the right thing.”

The date for drinks-only pubs to reopen was put back to September 23.

TEN million people are now living under local Covid-19 restrictions after tough new curbs were slapped on Northern Ireland and the north-east of England.

The dramatic move to halt the spread of coronavirus came as the UK recorded 3,395 new cases, compared with 3,991 the day before.

Ministers and public health officials in England are battling to control the disease while encouraging workers back to offices and as children return to schools.

Some 6.4 million people are thought to live in the areas of England which are completely covered by local restrictions, according to an analysis by the Mirror.

Another 1.4 million reside in areas where their borough has local curbs. A further 1.8 million are in areas with local restrictions in Scotland and 400,000 live in the two counties with restrictions in Wales.

Speaking in the Commons, Health Secretary Matt Hancock confirmed almost two million people in the north-east of

England are banned from today from socialising with other households following a “concerning” spike in Covid-19.