In his statement to the House of Commons on Monday evening (29 June), Matt Hancock advised that cases in Leicester continue to rise, with the 7-day infection rate currently 135 cases per 100,000 people – 3 times higher than the next highest city. 

Leicester accounts for around 10% of all positive cases in the country over the past week, and hospital admissions are between 6 and 10 per day rather than around 1 a day at other trusts.

A number of measures have been implemented in Leicester already including thousands of home testing kits, extra public health capacity to boost existing resources along with deployment of additional mobile testing units, and extra capacity at the regional test site. 

Additional support will be provided to Leicester and Leicestershire councils including extra funding and additional support for those having to self-isolate, and workplaces where clusters of cases have occurred will be supported to implement the COVID-secure measures more stringently.

Given the growing outbreak in Leicester, the easing of the national lockdown, set to take place on the 4 July, will not happen in Leicester.  Instead, non-essential retail and schools will be required to close again (with the exception of school facilities for vulnerable children and children of critical workers).  Relaxation of shielding measures will not go ahead on 6 July, and people are asked to stay at home as much as possible.   In summary:

• non-essential shops that reopened on 15 June have been asked to close from today (30 June)
• bars, restaurants and hairdressers will not reopen on 4 July
• schools will close from Thursday 2 July except to vulnerable children and children of key workers. They will not reopen until next term
• the relaxation of shielding measures due on 6 July cannot now take place in Leicester
• single-adult households (those who live alone or with dependent children only) can still form a support bubble with one other household
• people are still able to meet in a group of up to 6 and only outdoors, provided strict social distancing is followed
• people in Leicester are recommended to stay at home as much as they can
• all but essential travel to, from and within Leicester should now be avoided

The local lockdown measures will be reviewed on 18 July.

This morning, the local councils set out the following areas of Leicestershire that are included in the localised lockdown:

• in Blaby District:
  • Braunstone Town (including Fosse Park)
  • Glenfield
  • Glen Parva
  • Leicester Forest East (east of the M1)
  • Thorpe Astley
• in Charnwood:
  • Birstall
  • Thurmaston
• all areas of Oadby and Wigston

Restrictions will be in place pending a review from 18 July.