The prime minister says tougher measures aimed at stopping the spread of coronavirus will be announced soon.
Boris Johnson told the BBC just yesterday that the tier system in England would 'probably' get tougher in the coming weeks.
But he has now said there is 'no question' that further measures are needed.
Speaking during a visit to a hospital in north London, Mr Johnson said there were “tough tough” weeks to come.
“If you look at the numbers there’s no question we will have to take tougher measures and we will be announcing those in due course,” he told reporters.
Mr Johnson has so far refused to be drawn on what the tougher measures may involve, but would not rule out further school closures during an interview with Andrew Marr on BBC One yesterday.
Reports circulated last week that the government was looking at introducing new 'Tier 5' restrictions in the worst affected areas.
Around 78 per cent of England's population are already under the strictest Tier 4 measures, which include a ban on household mixing and the closure of all non-essential shops and businesses.
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The prime minister has also urged the public to keep their discipline.
He said: “We will do everything we can to keep the virus under control and people should be in no doubt that the government will do everything that’s necessary.
“But I must stress at this critical moment it is so vital that people keep disciplined.”
It comes after Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer called on the prime minister to introduce a national lockdown within 24 hours yesterday afternoon.
He told Mr Johnson to take immediate action, rather than just ‘hinting’ at increased measures.
“The virus is clearly out of control,” Sir Keir said.
“And there’s no good the Prime Minister hinting that further restrictions are coming into place in a week, or two or three. That delay has been the source of so many problems.
“So, I say bring in those restrictions now, national restrictions, within the next 24 hours.
“That has to be the first step towards controlling the virus.”
This morning, health secretary Matt Hancock said the government does not “rule anything out” when asked whether ministers were considering imposing another national lockdown.
He told Sky News: “We don’t rule anything out, and we’ve shown repeatedly that we will look at the public health advice and we will take the public health advice in terms of what is needed to control the spread of the disease.
“This new variant is much easier to catch, it is much more transmissible, and we’re now seeing the effect of that in lots of different parts of the country, unfortunately.
“And it means that whereas the old Tier 3 was able to contain the old variant, that is proving increasingly difficult in all parts of the country.”
The new strain of Covid-19 transmits faster and is most prevalent in London and the South East, where hospitals have become stretched.
The latest data show a 33 per cent rise in the number of confirmed coronavirus patients in hospital in England between Christmas Day and January 2, figures which have caused alarm in Whitehall and the health service.
