More than half of all areas in England are now recording rises in coronavirus infection rates as worry about the Indian variant builds.
Boris Johnson tonight warned the fourth and final planned unlocking on June 21 may be in peril as health authorities race to contain the highly infectious new strain.
The Prime Minister led a Downing Street press conference tonight warning the goal to lift the lockdown could face "serious disruption."
He said the government faced "hard choices" as evidence shows the mutant strain is more transmissible and could affect the roadmap out of lockdown.
It is hoped the final sections of the economy that remain closed after Monday May 17's easing, such as nightclubs and large events, could return by summer.
The latest infections figures show a slight reversal steady downward trend in infection rates as vaccines begin to replace social distancing and other restrictions as the top form of protection against the virus.
Officials today said England's 'R' rate had risen slightly above one as the national transmission rate grew to between 0.8 and 1.1.
Of the 315 local areas in England, 185 (59%) have seen a rise in rates, 119 (38%) have seen a fall and 11 are unchanged, the figures show.
The rise in cases has driven surge testing efforts to track down the new variant and ramped up the jab rollout in the worst affected areas.
Mr Johnson said the army would be drafted in to help speed up second jabs for the most vulnerable groups yet to have their final dose.
The latest figures tracking infection numbers show Bolton in Greater Manchester has the highest rate, with 657 new cases in the seven days to May 10 - the equivalent of 228.5 cases per 100,000 people.
This is up from 88.7 in the seven days to May 3.
Erewash in Derbyshire has the second highest rate, up from 88.4 to 163.0, with 188 new cases.
Blackburn with Darwen in Lancashire has the third highest, up from 56.8 to 111.6, with 167 new cases.
The figures, for the seven days to May 10, are based on the number of people who have tested positive for Covid-19 in either a lab-reported or rapid lateral flow test, by specimen date.
The rate is expressed as the number of new cases per 100,000 people.
Data for the most recent four days (May 11-14) has been excluded as it is incomplete and does not reflect the true number of cases.
The five areas with the biggest week-on-week rises are:
Bolton , Greater Manchester (up from 88.7 to 228.5)
Erewash , Derbyshire (88.4 to 163.0)
Bedford , Bedfordshire (42.7 to 105.0)
Blackburn with Darwen , Lancashire (56.8 to 111.6)
Melton, Leicestershire (11.7 to 58.6)
Full list of areas by infection rate
The list has been calculated by the PA news agency based on Public Health England data published on May 14 on the Government's coronavirus dashboard.
Here is the list in full. From left to right, it reads: name of local authority; rate of new cases in the seven days to May 10; number (in brackets) of new cases recorded in the seven days to May 10; rate of new cases in the seven days to May 3; number (in brackets) of new cases recorded in the seven days to May 3.
Bolton, 228.5, (657), 88.7, (255)
Erewash, 163.0, (188), 88.4, (102)
Blackburn with Darwen, 111.6, (167), 56.8, (85)
Bedford, 105.0, (182), 42.7, (74)
Selby, 69.5, (63), 55.2, (50)
Kirklees, 63.0, (277), 53.9, (237)
Melton, 58.6, (30), 11.7, (6)
Sefton, 56.8, (157), 26.0, (72)
Hounslow, 54.1, (147), 29.1, (79)
Wellingborough, 52.7, (42), 38.9, (31)
Middlesbrough, 52.5, (74), 28.4, (40)
Leeds, 52.4, (416), 44.6, (354)
North Lincolnshire, 52.2, (90), 54.6, (94)
Sheffield, 51.3, (300), 46.2, (270)
Corby, 51.2, (37), 33.2, (24)
Harborough, 51.2, (48), 27.7, (26)
Barnsley, 50.6, (125), 59.5, (147)
Rochdale, 49.9, (111), 35.1, (78)
Watford, 47.6, (46), 29.0, (28)
Burnley, 47.2, (42), 22.5, (20)
Leicester, 47.1, (167), 33.9, (120)
Wakefield, 47.1, (164), 56.0, (195)
Manchester, 46.1, (255), 34.9, (193)
Newcastle upon Tyne, 45.2, (137), 38.3, (116)
South Northamptonshire, 44.4, (42), 27.5, (26)
Bradford, 43.5, (235), 49.3, (266)
Hyndburn, 43.2, (35), 111.1, (90)
Ealing, 42.7, (146), 35.4, (121)
Doncaster, 42.6, (133), 55.1, (172)
South Holland, 42.1, (40), 54.7, (52)
Rotherham, 41.1, (109), 34.7, (92)
Hillingdon, 41.1, (126), 26.1, (80)
High Peak, 41.0, (38), 18.3, (17)
Nottingham, 40.3, (134), 24.3, (81)
Boston, 39.9, (28), 34.2, (24)
Lancaster, 39.7, (58), 28.1, (41)
Preston, 37.7, (54), 28.6, (41)
Rugby, 37.6, (41), 34.0, (37)
Lincoln, 37.3, (37), 20.1, (20)
Pendle, 36.9, (34), 17.4, (16)
Calderdale, 36.9, (78), 37.4, (79)
Southampton, 36.4, (92), 25.7, (65)
Stockport, 36.1, (106), 22.5, (66)
Peterborough, 35.6, (72), 41.5, (84)
Chorley, 35.5, (42), 30.5, (36)
Tameside, 34.4, (78), 19.0, (43)
Blackpool, 34.4, (48), 14.3, (20)
Kettering, 34.4, (35), 26.5, (27)
Rushmoor, 33.8, (32), 12.7, (12)
West Suffolk, 33.5, (60), 26.3, (47)
King's Lynn and West Norfolk, 33.0, (50), 29.1, (44)
Luton, 32.9, (70), 39.0, (83)
Newark and Sherwood, 31.9, (39), 13.9, (17)
Thanet, 31.7, (45), 9.2, (13)
Wigan, 31.6, (104), 23.1, (76)
Hull, 31.2, (81), 38.9, (101)
Brent, 30.6, (101), 22.7, (75)
Gedling, 30.5, (36), 14.4, (17)
Salford, 30.5, (79), 33.2, (86)
Northampton, 30.3, (68), 23.6, (53)
Trafford, 29.5, (70), 43.8, (104)
Stockton-on-Tees, 29.4, (58), 23.3, (46)
Mansfield, 29.3, (32), 32.0, (35)
Uttlesford, 28.5, (26), 11.0, (10)
Plymouth, 28.2, (74), 17.9, (47)
Hart, 27.8, (27), 14.4, (14)
Broxtowe, 27.2, (31), 16.7, (19)
Great Yarmouth, 27.2, (27), 12.1, (12)
Harrow, 27.1, (68), 31.5, (79)
Sedgemoor, 26.8, (33), 37.3, (46)
Slough, 26.7, (40), 44.8, (67)
Coventry, 26.6, (99), 22.6, (84)
East Northamptonshire, 26.4, (25), 18.0, (17)
Westminster, 26.4, (69), 22.2, (58)
East Riding of Yorkshire, 26.4, (90), 25.8, (88)
Kensington and Chelsea, 26.3, (41), 28.2, (44)
Nuneaton and Bedworth, 26.2, (34), 36.2, (47)
Oldham, 26.1, (62), 27.4, (65)
Croydon, 26.1, (101), 17.6, (68)
Crawley, 25.8, (29), 12.5, (14)
West Berkshire, 25.2, (40), 27.1, (43)
North Tyneside, 25.0, (52), 15.9, (33)
Sandwell, 25.0, (82), 22.2, (73)
East Lindsey, 24.7, (35), 20.5, (29)
Tower Hamlets, 24.6, (80), 17.6, (57)
Herefordshire, 23.9, (46), 27.5, (53)
Stoke-on-Trent, 23.8, (61), 33.9, (87)
Rossendale, 23.8, (17), 15.4, (11)
Kingston upon Thames, 23.7, (42), 13.0, (23)
North East Derbyshire, 23.7, (24), 14.8, (15)
Greenwich, 23.6, (68), 17.4, (50)
Three Rivers, 23.6, (22), 17.1, (16)
Fenland, 23.6, (24), 21.6, (22)
Wolverhampton, 23.5, (62), 15.6, (41)
South Ribble, 23.5, (26), 20.8, (23)
Dudley, 23.0, (74), 18.3, (59)
Milton Keynes, 23.0, (62), 11.1, (30)
Blaby, 22.7, (23), 19.7, (20)
Barking and Dagenham, 22.5, (48), 14.6, (31)
Wyre, 22.3, (25), 21.4, (24)
Arun, 21.8, (35), 16.8, (27)
Reading, 21.6, (35), 26.0, (42)
Darlington, 21.5, (23), 30.0, (32)
North Warwickshire, 21.5, (14), 19.9, (13)
Norwich, 21.3, (30), 19.2, (27)
Hinckley and Bosworth, 21.2, (24), 17.7, (20)
Fylde, 21.0, (17), 12.4, (10)
Eastleigh, 21.0, (28), 13.5, (18)
Bury, 20.9, (40), 24.6, (47)
Breckland, 20.7, (29), 17.9, (25)
South Hams, 20.7, (18), 17.2, (15)
South Norfolk, 20.6, (29), 17.0, (24)
South Derbyshire, 20.5, (22), 15.8, (17)
Richmondshire, 20.5, (11), 14.9, (8)
Derby, 20.2, (52), 18.3, (47)
Central Bedfordshire, 20.1, (58), 19.7, (57)
Halton, 20.1, (26), 13.9, (18)
East Staffordshire, 20.0, (24), 16.7, (20)
Rutland, 20.0, (8), 27.6, (11)
South Bucks, 20.0, (14), 11.4, (8)
South Kesteven, 19.7, (28), 27.4, (39)
Bassetlaw, 19.6, (23), 20.4, (24)
Birmingham, 19.5, (223), 15.9, (181)
Colchester, 19.5, (38), 9.8, (19)
Dacorum, 19.4, (30), 16.2, (25)
Walsall, 19.3, (55), 24.2, (69)
Hertsmere, 19.1, (20), 17.2, (18)
Redbridge, 19.0, (58), 17.4, (53)
Brighton and Hove, 18.9, (55), 10.0, (29)
Gosport, 18.9, (16), 14.1, (12)
St Helens, 18.8, (34), 8.9, (16)
Bracknell Forest, 18.8, (23), 14.7, (18)
Ashfield, 18.8, (24), 9.4, (12)
Chelmsford, 18.5, (33), 17.9, (32)
Rushcliffe, 18.5, (22), 10.9, (13)
Barnet, 18.4, (73), 15.4, (61)
Tendring, 18.4, (27), 7.5, (11)
Oxford, 18.4, (28), 33.5, (51)
Staffordshire Moorlands, 18.3, (18), 13.2, (13)
Redcar and Cleveland, 18.2, (25), 10.9, (15)
Havant, 18.2, (23), 14.3, (18)
Harrogate, 18.0, (29), 15.5, (25)
Spelthorne, 18.0, (18), 19.0, (19)
Knowsley, 17.9, (27), 9.3, (14)
Windsor and Maidenhead, 17.8, (27), 21.8, (33)
West Lindsey, 17.8, (17), 20.9, (20)
Vale of White Horse, 17.6, (24), 15.4, (21)
South Oxfordshire, 17.6, (25), 12.7, (18)
St Albans, 17.5, (26), 11.5, (17)
Daventry, 17.5, (15), 22.1, (19)
Merton, 17.4, (36), 18.9, (39)
Islington, 17.3, (42), 15.3, (37)
Wandsworth, 17.3, (57), 15.2, (50)
Harlow, 17.2, (15), 19.5, (17)
Adur, 17.1, (11), 18.7, (12)
Stevenage, 17.1, (15), 17.1, (15)
Camden, 17.0, (46), 13.0, (35)
Dartford, 16.9, (19), 12.4, (14)
Wiltshire, 16.8, (84), 13.2, (66)
Surrey Heath, 16.8, (15), 12.3, (11)
Worcester, 16.8, (17), 14.8, (15)
Northumberland, 16.7, (54), 12.7, (41)
Chiltern, 16.7, (16), 10.4, (10)
Swindon, 16.7, (37), 27.5, (61)
York, 16.6, (35), 13.3, (28)
South Gloucestershire, 16.5, (47), 10.5, (30)
Ribble Valley, 16.4, (10), 13.1, (8)
County Durham, 16.4, (87), 22.1, (117)
Wokingham, 16.4, (28), 10.5, (18)
Mid Suffolk, 16.4, (17), 15.4, (16)
North Kesteven, 16.3, (19), 19.7, (23)
Chesterfield, 16.2, (17), 10.5, (11)
Cheshire East, 16.1, (62), 17.4, (67)
Cambridge, 16.0, (20), 21.6, (27)
Lambeth, 15.9, (52), 14.7, (48)
South Tyneside, 15.9, (24), 11.9, (18)
Enfield, 15.9, (53), 12.9, (43)
Stroud, 15.8, (19), 12.5, (15)
Oadby and Wigston, 15.8, (9), 19.3, (11)
Craven, 15.8, (9), 17.5, (10)
North East Lincolnshire, 15.7, (25), 14.4, (23)
Hammersmith and Fulham, 15.7, (29), 21.1, (39)
Richmond upon Thames, 15.7, (31), 19.2, (38)
Waltham Forest, 15.5, (43), 13.4, (37)
Welwyn Hatfield, 15.4, (19), 12.2, (15)
Ipswich, 15.3, (21), 18.3, (25)
Stafford, 15.3, (21), 10.9, (15)
Cherwell, 15.3, (23), 17.3, (26)
North Norfolk, 15.3, (16), 3.8, (4)
Haringey, 15.3, (41), 17.1, (46)
Babergh, 15.2, (14), 8.7, (8)
Hartlepool, 14.9, (14), 17.1, (16)
Bexley, 14.9, (37), 15.7, (39)
Wyre Forest, 14.8, (15), 7.9, (8)
Solihull, 14.8, (32), 17.1, (37)
Hackney and City of London, 14.8, (43), 14.1, (41)
Ashford, 14.6, (19), 7.7, (10)
Aylesbury Vale, 14.5, (29), 20.1, (40)
Charnwood, 14.5, (27), 25.3, (47)
Lewisham, 14.4, (44), 13.4, (41)
West Devon, 14.3, (8), 3.6, (2)
Wycombe, 14.3, (25), 15.5, (27)
Liverpool, 14.3, (71), 7.0, (35)
Havering, 14.3, (37), 9.2, (24)
Bromley, 14.1, (47), 15.3, (51)
Huntingdonshire, 14.0, (25), 15.7, (28)
Chichester, 14.0, (17), 16.5, (20)
Shropshire, 13.9, (45), 18.3, (59)
Sunderland, 13.7, (38), 13.3, (37)
Epsom and Ewell, 13.6, (11), 6.2, (5)
North Somerset, 13.5, (29), 12.6, (27)
Barrow-in-Furness, 13.4, (9), 6.0, (4)
Gateshead, 13.4, (27), 11.9, (24)
East Cambridgeshire, 13.4, (12), 14.5, (13)
Swale, 13.3, (20), 14.0, (21)
Torbay, 13.2, (18), 7.3, (10)
Copeland, 13.2, (9), 2.9, (2)
West Lancashire, 13.1, (15), 9.6, (11)
Cheshire West and Chester, 13.1, (45), 10.5, (36)
Mendip, 13.0, (15), 5.2, (6)
Bristol, 12.9, (60), 10.1, (47)
Bath and North East Somerset, 12.9, (25), 10.3, (20)
Redditch, 12.9, (11), 18.8, (16)
Somerset West and Taunton, 12.9, (20), 9.7, (15)
Telford and Wrekin, 12.8, (23), 20.6, (37)
Thurrock, 12.6, (22), 11.5, (20)
Tandridge, 12.5, (11), 18.2, (16)
Warrington, 12.4, (26), 18.6, (39)
South Lakeland, 12.4, (13), 7.6, (8)
East Hampshire, 12.3, (15), 12.3, (15)
Bournemouth Christchurch and Poole, 12.1, (48), 14.9, (59)
East Suffolk, 12.0, (30), 17.2, (43)
Hambleton, 12.0, (11), 13.1, (12)
Woking, 11.9, (12), 11.9, (12)
Tamworth, 11.7, (9), 14.3, (11)
Newham, 11.6, (41), 13.6, (48)
Stratford-on-Avon, 11.5, (15), 13.1, (17)
Folkestone and Hythe, 11.5, (13), 7.1, (8)
Guildford, 11.4, (17), 16.1, (24)
Basildon, 11.2, (21), 9.6, (18)
Cheltenham, 11.2, (13), 8.6, (10)
Bolsover, 11.2, (9), 17.4, (14)
Sutton, 11.1, (23), 13.6, (28)
Medway, 11.1, (31), 13.3, (37)
Test Valley, 11.1, (14), 14.3, (18)
Scarborough, 11.0, (12), 11.0, (12)
Southwark, 11.0, (35), 17.3, (55)
Elmbridge, 11.0, (15), 17.5, (24)
Newcastle-under-Lyme, 10.8, (14), 8.5, (11)
Wirral, 10.8, (35), 9.9, (32)
South Cambridgeshire, 10.7, (17), 10.1, (16)
Lewes, 10.7, (11), 6.8, (7)
Epping Forest, 10.6, (14), 11.4, (15)
Isle of Wight, 10.6, (15), 8.5, (12)
New Forest, 10.6, (19), 7.8, (14)
Braintree, 10.5, (16), 10.5, (16)
Maidstone, 10.5, (18), 15.1, (26)
Teignbridge, 10.4, (14), 10.4, (14)
Mole Valley, 10.3, (9), 8.0, (7)
Gravesham, 10.3, (11), 16.8, (18)
Dover, 10.2, (12), 20.3, (24)
Tunbridge Wells, 10.1, (12), 10.1, (12)
Cannock Chase, 9.9, (10), 6.9, (7)
Southend-on-Sea, 9.8, (18), 10.9, (20)
Portsmouth, 9.8, (21), 16.3, (35)
Warwick, 9.7, (14), 21.6, (31)
North Hertfordshire, 9.7, (13), 11.2, (15)
Canterbury, 9.7, (16), 12.7, (21)
East Devon, 9.6, (14), 8.2, (12)
Rochford, 9.2, (8), 6.9, (6)
Dorset, 9.0, (34), 9.0, (34)
Runnymede, 8.9, (8), 5.6, (5)
Cotswold, 8.9, (8), 11.1, (10)
Reigate and Banstead, 8.7, (13), 18.2, (27)
Waverley, 8.7, (11), 17.4, (22)
East Hertfordshire, 8.7, (13), 10.7, (16)
Hastings, 8.6, (8), 22.7, (21)
Fareham, 8.6, (10), 5.2, (6)
Lichfield, 8.6, (9), 7.6, (8)
Mid Devon, 8.5, (7), 14.6, (12)
Wychavon, 8.5, (11), 3.9, (5)
Tewkesbury, 8.4, (8), 8.4, (8)
Broadland, 8.4, (11), 8.4, (11)
Rother, 8.3, (8), 9.4, (9)
Sevenoaks, 8.3, (10), 21.5, (26)
North Devon, 8.2, (8), 11.3, (11)
Worthing, 8.1, (9), 12.7, (14)
South Staffordshire, 8.0, (9), 18.7, (21)
Mid Sussex, 7.9, (12), 9.9, (15)
Basingstoke and Deane, 7.9, (14), 11.9, (21)
Brentwood, 7.8, (6), 7.8, (6)
South Somerset, 7.7, (13), 9.5, (16)
North West Leicestershire, 7.7, (8), 13.5, (14)
Horsham, 7.6, (11), 6.3, (9)
Malvern Hills, 7.6, (6), 10.2, (8)
Eden, 7.5, (4), 3.8, (2)
Wealden, 7.4, (12), 8.1, (13)
Cornwall and Isles of Scilly, 7.3, (42), 7.9, (45)
Torridge, 7.3, (5), 8.8, (6)
West Oxfordshire, 7.2, (8), 12.7, (14)
Ryedale, 7.2, (4), 16.3, (9)
Winchester, 7.2, (9), 9.6, (12)
Broxbourne, 7.2, (7), 10.3, (10)
Derbyshire Dales, 6.9, (5), 5.5, (4)
Carlisle, 6.4, (7), 7.4, (8)
Maldon, 6.2, (4), 3.1, (2)
Tonbridge and Malling, 6.1, (8), 11.4, (15)
Exeter, 5.3, (7), 12.9, (17)
Bromsgrove, 5.0, (5), 12.0, (12)
Amber Valley, 4.7, (6), 6.2, (8)
Gloucester, 4.6, (6), 11.6, (15)
Forest of Dean, 4.6, (4), 11.5, (10)
Castle Point, 4.4, (4), 2.2, (2)
Allerdale, 3.1, (3), 1.0, (1)
Eastbourne, 2.9, (3), 7.7, (8)
