Extra measures including a limit on the number of people allowed to visit a household have been announced in Blackburn with Darwen after a rise in coronavirus cases.
On Tuesday, the Lancashire authority’s director of public health Dominic Harrison announced the new measures to be followed for the next month with the aim of avoiding a local lockdown.
The restrictions include a limit of two people from the same household allowed to visit another home.
Figures published on Tuesday showed Blackburn had 47 Covid-19 cases per 100,000 people in the seven days to July 11, up from 31.6 cases per 100,000 in the seven days to July 4.
The authority is third on the list of highest weekly rates, behind Leicester, which has a rate of 118.2 cases per 100,000 and is subject to a local lockdown, and nearby Pendle, with a rate of 76.6.
Mr Harrison said, if rates were continuing to rise in a few weeks, the council would consider reimposing some lockdown restrictions.
Residents are being told to wear cloth face coverings in all enclosed public spaces, including workplaces, libraries, museums, health centres and hair and beauty salons.
Mr Harrison also called for people only to bump elbows with anyone outside of their immediate family, instead of shaking hands or hugging, and said public protection advice for small shops was being stepped up to ensure measures including social distancing and increased ventilation were being followed.
Targeted testing is taking place in the borough, with a mobile testing unit at Witton Park Academy as well as a facility at Royal Blackburn Hospital, and residents have been told they do not need to have symptoms to be tested.
Seventy new cases of coronavirus were recorded in the local authority in the seven days to July 11, up from 47 in the previous seven days.
