Rochdale faces tougher lockdown measures this week as cases surge

Rochdale reportedly faces harsher lockdown measures being imposed later this week after a spike in coronavirus cases.

Social distancing rules have already been tightened in the town after the number of new infections hit 46 per 100,000 people last week - almost as high as Spain.

Local public health bosses will meet Rochdale Borough Council on Friday to decide whether to add tougher restrictions or to continue the current ones.

The experts are said to be in favour of tightening the lockdown due to concerns about the virus spreading further when the Islamic festival of Eid starts tomorrow, according to a report.

Rochdale is already under harsher lockdown restrictions than other areas of the country as part of the government's local lockdown strategy.

Rochdale is facing harsher lockdown measures (Getty Images)

Residents are still observing the two-metre social distancing rule - instead of one-metre plus - and are limited to two visitors per home.

People are also being urged to wear face masks outside and not just in enclosed spaces.

Testing has been extended in the town so residents who are not even showing symptoms can now get a test.

People in Rochdale have now been told to keep two metres apart after people flocked back to pubs earlier this month (Getty Images)

Primary schools are being used as testing sites, with mobile units also sent to the town.

Speaking about lockdown restrictions, one source told the Sun : "It‘s very unlikely we’re going to drop the measures because we've got Eid this weekend. We’ll either extend them or add one or two things.”

Neighbouring Oldham has also seen a spike in cases, recording more than 50 infections per 100,000 people.

That is higher than the 49 cases per 100,000 people in Spain today.

Last week Blackburn with Darwen council introduced a new lockdown after infections reached 80 per 100,000.