London is now recording more coronavirus infections, for its size, than 27 of 61 authorities living under Tier 3 as the capital risks tougher restrictions.
The infection rate in London is now higher than more than two dozen areas currently stuck under Tier 3 restrictions, official data shows.
It comes amid increasing calls for the capital, currently in Tier 2, to be put into the highest restriction tier next week.
This would mean shutting pubs and all hospitality except for takeaway.
On December 16 the Government and expert advisers will meet to review the tiers in each area before an announcement on December 17.
There are now serious concerns that London will be moved from Tier 2 to Tier 3.
In the week ending December 4, the infection rate in London climbed from 169.32 to 173.7 per 100,000 of the population, according to Department of Health figures.
This is more cases than 27 of the 61 authorities living under Tier 3 restrictions across the UK.
These include parts of Manchester, Nottingham, Leeds, Leicestershire, Bristol, Newcastle and Derby.
And 24 out of the capital's 32 boroughs saw a rise in coronavirus infections in the last week of the shutdown, with the biggest surges seen in the east of London.
For the same time period in Greater Manchester, the rate of infection dropped again from 164.65 to 159.2.
Some areas of Greater Manchester are seeing very low rates, with Trafford on 96.1 and Stockport on 116.9.
While Warwickshire is on 114.2 and Gateshead 115.2 despite being on Tier 3.
Public Health Regional Director for London Kevin Fenton fired a warning shot on Tuesday about the urgent need for Londoners to "work together" to prevent a "big surge" in cases.
Professor John Ashton, a former regional director of public health for north-west England and author of Blinded by Corona, told the Guardian a decision on London was needed urgently.
He said: "[The Government] needs to decide in the next 48 hours whether to move London into Tier 3 otherwise they really risk a terrible situation for London, with deaths going up during the Christmas period. They might have to go to complete lockdown."
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan urged the capital's residents to be careful as infections rise.
He said: “The number of cases in London are rising again and if we don’t all work together now we may face tougher restrictions across the capital."
It's thought there are not currently active talks in City Hall about changing London's tier status before an official review date of December 16.
But City Hall officials are aware it is a "rapidly moving picture".
Tier 3 areas with a lower Covid-19 infection rate than London
Trafford 96.1
Warwickshire 114.2
Gateshead 115.8
Stockport 116.9
Derbyshire 120.5
North Somerset 126.5
Redcar and Cleveland 126.9
Coventry 134.3
Tameside 136
Newcastle 136.1
Blackpool 136.3
South Gloucestershire 136.8
Derby 137.2
Salford 138.7
Bristol 140.5
Leicestershire 140.8
County Durham 147.7
Leeds 152.1
Solihull 152.5
Nottinghamshire 152.7
Sheffield 154.1
Sunderland 155.2
Nottingham 158.3
Barnsley 158.8
East Riding of Yorkshire 160.6
Northumberland 165.6
Stockton-on-Tees 167.7
