Tourists have been urged not to travel to popular holiday hotspot Cornwall after the country recored the highest Covid rates in the uK.
The Cornish tourist board has warned people not to visit the area unless they have pre-booked holidays or take Covid tests before, during and after their stay.
Experts are worried overcrowding in beach 'honeypots', with the region reporting 4,628 new cases in the seven days to August 21, according to Public Health England data.
This is the equivalent of 804.1 per 100,000 people and is up sharply from 385.9 in the seven days to August 14.
The high rates comes just weeks after the Boardmasters Festival was held in Newquay that led to health officials investigating thousands of cases of coronavirus believed to be linked.
It has been dubbed a ' super-spreader ' event and has sparked concern over other festivals due to take place in the UK over the coming weeks.
TRNSMT in Glasgow is due to take place on September 10-12, while Reading and Leeds will be held this weekend.
Almost 5,000 coronavirus cases are suspected to be linked to the surf and music festival in Cornwall.
Professor Mike Wade, Deputy Regional Director of PHE, said the 15-24 age bracket in the south west had seen 1,700 cases per 100,000, which was the highest of any other region in the country.
Holidaymakers are being urged to stay away from Cornwall and are being asking to take a lateral flow Covid test before, during and after visiting the area.
Cornwall Chamber of Commerce said there had been an extra 30,000 visitors to the county during the summer season compared to previous years.
Chief executive of Visit Cornwall Malcolm Bell said visitors should aim to “treble their efforts as much as possible” to follow the hands, face, space guidance and try to remain outdoors where the risk of transmission is lower.
Mr Bell said: “We are asking people not to come unless they have booked ahead and request they take a lateral flow test before, during and after (their) stay so that (people) can be safe and help us to manage the current spike.
“There is concern and most local residents will be happier in a week or so, when the peak season is over and an older demographic visits as there are too many occurrences of overcrowding in honey pots.
“We are asking visitors to look at visiting other parts of Cornwall. We have over 300 beaches and lovely parts that can cope with visitors.”
