Health Secretary Matt Hancock has imposed tougher measures in Liverpool, Warrington, Hartlepool and Middlesbrough.
In Liverpool, there are 268 cases per 100,000 people, he told MPs, so action was needed.
The measures announced for the Liverpool city region, Warrington, Hartlepool and Middlesbrough follow similar restrictions imposed in the North East earlier this week.
The main rule, which will be set as legislation, is that social mixing between people in different households in all settings, except outdoor public spaces like parks and outdoor hospitality is banned.
Matt Hancock's full statement on new local lockdown measures
"This virus continues to spread, yesterday there were 7108 new cases.
“However, there are also early signs that the actions that we've collectively taken over the past month are starting to have a positive impact.
"Today's REACT (Real-time Assessment of Community Transmission) study from Imperial College suggests that whilst the R-number remains above one, there are early signs that it may be falling.
"We must not let up, but people everywhere can take some small hope that our efforts together may be beginning to work.
"I put it stronger than that. Cases are still rising.
“However, as the chief medical officer set out yesterday, the second peak is highly localised and in some parts of the country, the virus is spreading fast.
“Our strategy is to suppress the virus to protect the economy, education and the NHS until a vaccine can make us safe.
“Earlier this week we brought in further measures in the North-East, however in parts of Teesside and the North-West of England cases continue to rise fast.
"In Liverpool, the number of cases is 268 per 100,000 population, so together we need to act. Working with council leaders and the mayors, I'm today extending these measures that have been in the North East since the start of this week to the Liverpool City Region, Warrington, Hartlepool and Middlesbrough.
"We will provide £7 million to local authorities in these areas to support them with their vital work.
“The rules across the Liverpool City Region Warrington, Hartlepool and Middlesbrough will be as follows.
“We recommend against all social mixing between people in different households.
"We will bring in regulations, as we have in the North East, to prevent in law social mixing between people in different households in all settings, except outdoor public spaces like parks and outdoor hospitality.
"We also recommend that people should not attend professional or amateur sporting events as spectators in the areas that are affected.
"We recommend that people only visit care homes in exceptional circumstances, and there will be guidance against all but essential travel - essential travel, of course, includes going to work or school.
“I understand how much of an imposition this is. I want rules like this to stay in place for as short a time as possible, I'm sure we all do.
"The study published today shows us hope that together we can crack this and the more people follow the rules and reduce their social contact, the quicker we can get Liverpool and the North East back on their feet."
He added: "We're also aligning the measures in Bolton with the rest of Greater Manchester and I'd like to pay tribute to David Greenhalgh, the leader of Bolton Council, for his constructive support and the Bolton MPs for all they've done in support of Bolton.
"There are no changes to measures in West Yorkshire, West Midlands, Leicester, Lancashire or the rest of Greater Manchester.
“It is critical that the whole country acts together now to control the spread of this virus, so please for your loved ones, for your community, and for your country - follow the rules and do your bit to keep this virus under control.
"By its nature, this virus spreads through social contact and so it's had a terrible impact on the hospitality sector, who in good times exist to encourage that very social contact that we all enjoy.
"We've had to take difficult but necessary decisions to suppress the virus. The only alternative to suppressing the virus is to let it rip and I will not do that."
He added: "So, while I know that many of the individual rules are challenging, they are necessary and there are those early signs that they're working.”
