Six areas in England have see a worrying weekly rise in Covid cases, Health Secretary Matt Hancock warned this evening as the government refuses to rule out a return to local lockdowns.
In a briefing from Downing Street, Mr Hancock said that rising infections in Bolton in Greater Manchester, Blackburn in Lancashire, Bedford in Bedfordshire, Kirklees in West Yorkshire, Burnley in Lancashire and Hounslow in west London have been recorded.
They are the country's worst affected hotspots according to latest data, with all of them having seen a significant week-on-week rise in cases.
Latest Public Health England figures reveal that 135 of the country's 315 local authority areas - 43 per cent - saw a rise in infections.
But more than half, 163, recorded a drop and 16 remained unchanged.
The government is reportedly considering a return to local lockdowns if figures remain high in some parts of the country, with pubs, restaurants and non-essential shops closed and a stay-at-home order imposed.
Scroll down to see the Covid infection rate in your area
Ministers have so far refused to rule out the possibility of this happening.
Bolton in Greater Manchester continues to have the highest rate, with 920 new cases in the seven days to May 15 - the equivalent of 319.9 cases per 100,000 people.
This is up from 161.4 in the seven days to May 8.
Blackburn with Darwen in Lancashire has the second highest rate, up from 96.2 to 145.0, with 217 new cases.
Both are among the areas with a high prevalence of the Indian variant, which experts fear could scupper plans to unlock the country on June 21, with surge testing brought in to try keep it under control.
Today 2,696 new Covid-19 cases were confirmed by the Department of Health, with a 0.9 per cent drop in the last week compared to the previous seven days.
The five areas with the biggest week-on-week rises are:
- Bolton (up from 161.4 to 319.9)
- Bedford (69.2 to 127.5)
- Blackburn with Darwen (96.2 to 145.0)
- Burnley (24.7 to 60.7)
- Ashfield (5.5 to 28.9)
Mr Hancock said: "This is on all of us again. We are masters of our fate.
"By taking the test in one of these areas (where there is surge testing), by coming forward and getting vaccinated, by behaving with caution - and we all know the things we need to do, especially outside is safer than inside, wearing masks - we can get this under control.
"But, again, it is something for us to do as a community, and in particular in the areas where we are seeing a faster rise."
He added: "We are seeing the vast majority of cases, both of the existing variant and of the B1617.2 variant, amongst younger groups and unvaccinated people.
"On the one hand hand that is actually a good sign as it implies the vaccine is working effectively, but obviously we don't want to see a huge increase in the number of cases everywhere.
"We have said all along that we expect some increase in cases, of course, younger people, who are much more likely to be those yet to be vaccinated, are much less affected in terms of hospitalisations and deaths, and that core fact about this virus underpins the strategy and road map we have set out."
Latest infection rates across England
Figures show - rate of new cases in the seven days to May 15; number (in brackets) of new cases recorded in the seven days to May 15 rate of new cases the previous seven days; number (in brackets) of new cases recorded in the previous seven days
Bolton, 319.9, (920), 161.4, (464)
Blackburn with Darwen, 145.0, (217), 96.2, (144)
Bedford, 127.5, (221), 69.2, (120)
Kirklees, 72.3, (318), 53.2, (234)
Burnley, 60.7, (54), 24.7, (22)
Hounslow, 56.3, (153), 43.8, (119)
South Holland, 54.7, (52), 36.8, (35)
Leicester, 49.4, (175), 38.4, (136)
Erewash, 48.5, (56), 197.6, (228)
Selby, 47.5, (43), 66.2, (60)
Chorley, 47.4, (56), 24.5, (29)
Hyndburn, 45.7, (37), 35.8, (29)
Manchester, 45.2, (250), 37.1, (205)
Boston, 42.8, (30), 31.4, (22)
Newcastle upon Tyne, 42.6, (129), 38.0, (115)
Leeds, 42.5, (337), 45.9, (364)
North Lincolnshire, 42.4, (73), 41.2, (71)
Preston, 41.2, (59), 32.1, (46)
Sheffield, 40.7, (238), 45.8, (268)
Pendle, 40.2, (37), 31.5, (29)
High Peak, 39.9, (37), 30.2, (28)
Middlesbrough, 39.7, (56), 44.7, (63)
Rochdale, 39.6, (88), 45.4, (101)
Bury, 38.2, (73), 19.4, (37)
Bradford, 37.6, (203), 42.1, (227)
Calderdale, 37.4, (79), 40.2, (85)
Trafford, 37.1, (88), 27.0, (64)
Luton, 36.6, (78), 30.0, (64)
Watford, 36.2, (35), 38.3, (37)
North Tyneside, 36.1, (75), 24.0, (50)
Corby, 36.0, (26), 47.1, (34)
Hillingdon, 34.9, (107), 35.5, (109)
Wakefield, 34.2, (119), 45.1, (157)
Harborough, 34.1, (32), 40.5, (38)
Wigan, 34.1, (112), 26.2, (86)
Blackpool, 33.7, (47), 25.1, (35)
Melton, 33.2, (17), 33.2, (17)
Kingston upon Thames, 32.7, (58), 15.2, (27)
Central Bedfordshire, 32.2, (93), 16.3, (47)
Doncaster, 32.1, (100), 44.6, (139)
Stockport, 32.0, (94), 27.6, (81)
Ealing, 31.9, (109), 36.9, (126)
Barnsley, 31.2, (77), 49.8, (123)
Sefton, 30.8, (85), 50.6, (140)
Broxtowe, 30.7, (35), 19.3, (22)
Mansfield, 30.2, (33), 17.4, (19)
Hart, 29.9, (29), 25.8, (25)
Rossendale, 29.4, (21), 16.8, (12)
Harrow, 29.1, (73), 26.7, (67)
Ashfield, 28.9, (37), 5.5, (7)
Worcester, 28.6, (29), 9.9, (10)
Rushmoor, 28.5, (27), 21.1, (20)
Rotherham, 28.3, (75), 36.2, (96)
Nottingham, 28.2, (94), 33.9, (113)
Greenwich, 27.8, (80), 18.1, (52)
West Berkshire, 27.8, (44), 21.5, (34)
Peterborough, 27.7, (56), 29.7, (60)
Wellingborough, 27.6, (22), 43.9, (35)
Slough, 27.4, (41), 23.4, (35)
Lincoln, 27.2, (27), 31.2, (31)
Tameside, 26.9, (61), 26.0, (59)
Bassetlaw, 26.4, (31), 15.3, (18)
Newark and Sherwood, 26.1, (32), 23.7, (29)
Salford, 25.9, (67), 30.1, (78)
Croydon, 25.6, (99), 18.9, (73)
Brent, 25.5, (84), 25.8, (85)
West Suffolk, 25.1, (45), 26.3, (47)
Rugby, 24.8, (27), 35.8, (39)
East Riding of Yorkshire, 24.6, (84), 22.0, (75)
Lancaster, 24.0, (35), 32.2, (47)
Herefordshire, 23.9, (46), 22.8, (44)
Dudley, 23.3, (75), 19.0, (61)
Stoke-on-Trent, 22.6, (58), 23.0, (59)
South Ribble, 22.6, (25), 14.4, (16)
Rutland, 22.5, (9), 15.0, (6)
Reading, 22.3, (36), 16.7, (27)
Hammersmith and Fulham, 22.1, (41), 13.0, (24)
Wyre, 21.4, (24), 17.0, (19)
Southampton, 21.4, (54), 36.0, (91)
Mid Suffolk, 21.2, (22), 12.5, (13)
East Lindsey, 21.2, (30), 19.8, (28)
South Northamptonshire, 21.2, (20), 42.3, (40)
Cheshire East, 21.1, (81), 12.8, (49)
Lambeth, 20.9, (68), 14.1, (46)
Stroud, 20.8, (25), 10.8, (13)
Coventry, 20.7, (77), 25.0, (93)
Sandwell, 20.7, (68), 21.3, (70)
Gedling, 20.4, (24), 27.1, (32)
Huntingdonshire, 20.2, (36), 9.0, (16)
Lewisham, 19.9, (61), 11.4, (35)
Portsmouth, 19.5, (42), 12.6, (27)
Westminster, 19.5, (51), 24.5, (64)
St Helens, 19.4, (35), 10.0, (18)
Canterbury, 19.3, (32), 10.3, (17)
Rushcliffe, 19.3, (23), 13.4, (16)
Oadby and Wigston, 19.3, (11), 14.0, (8)
Kensington and Chelsea, 19.2, (30), 25.6, (40)
East Northamptonshire, 19.0, (18), 22.2, (21)
Haringey, 19.0, (51), 14.5, (39)
Milton Keynes, 18.9, (51), 17.1, (46)
Swindon, 18.9, (42), 14.4, (32)
Eastleigh, 18.7, (25), 15.0, (20)
Cambridge, 18.4, (23), 16.8, (21)
South Hams, 18.4, (16), 25.3, (22)
Brighton and Hove, 18.2, (53), 14.8, (43)
Hull, 18.1, (47), 27.7, (72)
Harrogate, 18.0, (29), 11.2, (18)
King's Lynn and West Norfolk, 17.8, (27), 28.4, (43)
Oldham, 17.7, (42), 25.7, (61)
Epsom and Ewell, 17.4, (14), 7.4, (6)
Hertsmere, 17.2, (18), 16.2, (17)
Three Rivers, 17.1, (16), 22.5, (21)
North East Lincolnshire, 16.9, (27), 11.9, (19)
Enfield, 16.8, (56), 12.3, (41)
Stockton-on-Tees, 16.7, (33), 26.9, (53)
Kettering, 16.7, (17), 31.4, (32)
South Tyneside, 16.6, (25), 15.2, (23)
Barnet, 16.4, (65), 13.6, (54)
Wandsworth, 16.4, (54), 16.7, (55)
Birmingham, 16.4, (187), 15.9, (181)
Sedgemoor, 16.2, (20), 29.2, (36)
Thanet, 16.2, (23), 21.8, (31)
Northampton, 16.0, (36), 27.6, (62)
East Staffordshire, 15.9, (19), 10.9, (13)
Telford and Wrekin, 15.6, (28), 8.3, (15)
Bristol, 15.3, (71), 8.8, (41)
Cherwell, 15.3, (23), 16.6, (25)
Great Yarmouth, 15.1, (15), 20.1, (20)
Tower Hamlets, 15.1, (49), 20.6, (67)
Spelthorne, 15.0, (15), 16.0, (16)
Bath and North East Somerset, 15.0, (29), 11.4, (22)
Norwich, 14.9, (21), 15.7, (22)
Northumberland, 14.9, (48), 14.3, (46)
St Albans, 14.8, (22), 8.1, (12)
North East Derbyshire, 14.8, (15), 20.7, (21)
Redbridge, 14.7, (45), 16.7, (51)
Nuneaton and Bedworth, 14.6, (19), 21.6, (28)
Chiltern, 14.6, (14), 8.3, (8)
Stafford, 14.6, (20), 10.2, (14)
Barking and Dagenham, 14.6, (31), 15.5, (33)
Aylesbury Vale, 14.5, (29), 12.0, (24)
Bromley, 14.4, (48), 12.6, (42)
South Bucks, 14.3, (10), 12.8, (9)
Havant, 14.3, (18), 18.2, (23)
Wolverhampton, 14.0, (37), 19.0, (50)
Adur, 14.0, (9), 14.0, (9)
Halton, 13.9, (18), 15.5, (20)
Woking, 13.9, (14), 10.9, (11)
Basildon, 13.9, (26), 8.0, (15)
Redcar and Cleveland, 13.9, (19), 14.6, (20)
North Warwickshire, 13.8, (9), 16.9, (11)
Arun, 13.7, (22), 14.9, (24)
Walsall, 13.7, (39), 18.9, (54)
Sutton, 13.6, (28), 10.2, (21)
Merton, 13.6, (28), 15.0, (31)
Plymouth, 13.4, (35), 25.2, (66)
South Lakeland, 13.3, (14), 2.9, (3)
Newham, 13.3, (47), 10.2, (36)
Copeland, 13.2, (9), 5.9, (4)
Ribble Valley, 13.1, (8), 19.7, (12)
West Lancashire, 13.1, (15), 7.9, (9)
Richmondshire, 13.0, (7), 16.8, (9)
Gateshead, 12.9, (26), 11.9, (24)
Southwark, 12.9, (41), 12.9, (41)
Colchester, 12.8, (25), 13.9, (27)
York, 12.8, (27), 15.7, (33)
Malvern Hills, 12.7, (10), 3.8, (3)
Swale, 12.7, (19), 14.0, (21)
West Oxfordshire, 12.7, (14), 6.3, (7)
Solihull, 12.5, (27), 13.4, (29)
Fylde, 12.4, (10), 19.8, (16)
Hinckley and Bosworth, 12.4, (14), 23.9, (27)
Sunderland, 12.2, (34), 7.9, (22)
South Derbyshire, 12.1, (13), 17.7, (19)
Bexley, 12.1, (30), 15.3, (38)
South Cambridgeshire, 11.9, (19), 5.7, (9)
South Kesteven, 11.9, (17), 19.7, (28)
Waltham Forest, 11.9, (33), 13.4, (37)
Charnwood, 11.8, (22), 9.7, (18)
Blaby, 11.8, (12), 19.7, (20)
Gosport, 11.8, (10), 11.8, (10)
Elmbridge, 11.7, (16), 8.8, (12)
Richmond upon Thames, 11.6, (23), 14.6, (29)
Crawley, 11.6, (13), 18.7, (21)
Breckland, 11.4, (16), 20.0, (28)
Bracknell Forest, 11.4, (14), 12.2, (15)
Tandridge, 11.3, (10), 11.3, (10)
County Durham, 11.3, (60), 16.0, (85)
Broxbourne, 11.3, (11), 5.1, (5)
Wiltshire, 11.2, (56), 12.8, (64)
Oxford, 11.2, (17), 17.7, (27)
Scarborough, 11.0, (12), 11.0, (12)
Tendring, 10.9, (16), 12.3, (18)
Derby, 10.9, (28), 17.1, (44)
Newcastle-under-Lyme, 10.8, (14), 8.5, (11)
Islington, 10.7, (26), 18.6, (45)
Broadland, 10.7, (14), 6.9, (9)
Hartlepool, 10.7, (10), 13.9, (13)
North West Leicestershire, 10.6, (11), 8.7, (9)
Windsor and Maidenhead, 10.6, (16), 18.5, (28)
Wokingham, 10.5, (18), 12.9, (22)
Braintree, 10.5, (16), 5.2, (8)
Warrington, 10.5, (22), 10.5, (22)
Daventry, 10.5, (9), 16.3, (14)
Thurrock, 10.3, (18), 8.6, (15)
Waverley, 10.3, (13), 10.3, (13)
Stevenage, 10.2, (9), 14.8, (13)
Ipswich, 10.2, (14), 8.8, (12)
Worthing, 9.9, (11), 5.4, (6)
South Norfolk, 9.9, (14), 20.6, (29)
Wyre Forest, 9.9, (10), 6.9, (7)
Uttlesford, 9.9, (9), 25.2, (23)
Hambleton, 9.8, (9), 7.6, (7)
Fenland, 9.8, (10), 19.6, (20)
Mid Devon, 9.7, (8), 4.9, (4)
Dacorum, 9.7, (15), 12.9, (20)
Lewes, 9.7, (10), 5.8, (6)
Cheshire West and Chester, 9.6, (33), 9.0, (31)
Vale of White Horse, 9.6, (13), 11.0, (15)
Torbay, 9.5, (13), 11.0, (15)
Chesterfield, 9.5, (10), 12.4, (13)
Chelmsford, 9.5, (17), 12.9, (23)
Test Valley, 9.5, (12), 9.5, (12)
Liverpool, 9.4, (47), 12.9, (64)
North Kesteven, 9.4, (11), 18.8, (22)
Guildford, 9.4, (14), 8.7, (13)
Eden, 9.4, (5), 3.8, (2)
Redditch, 9.4, (8), 11.7, (10)
Hackney and City of London, 9.3, (27), 12.7, (37)
Southend-on-Sea, 9.3, (17), 12.6, (23)
Maldon, 9.2, (6), 4.6, (3)
Chichester, 9.1, (11), 13.2, (16)
Tonbridge and Malling, 9.1, (12), 8.3, (11)
Warwick, 9.0, (13), 7.0, (10)
Surrey Heath, 9.0, (8), 9.0, (8)
Barrow-in-Furness, 8.9, (6), 8.9, (6)
East Cambridgeshire, 8.9, (8), 8.9, (8)
Cotswold, 8.9, (8), 6.7, (6)
Camden, 8.9, (24), 16.3, (44)
East Suffolk, 8.8, (22), 11.6, (29)
Reigate and Banstead, 8.7, (13), 10.1, (15)
Knowsley, 8.6, (13), 11.3, (17)
Bournemouth Christchurch and Poole, 8.6, (34), 9.6, (38)
Havering, 8.5, (22), 10.0, (26)
Stratford-on-Avon, 8.5, (11), 10.8, (14)
West Lindsey, 8.4, (8), 14.6, (14)
Rother, 8.3, (8), 6.2, (6)
East Devon, 8.2, (12), 6.8, (10)
Forest of Dean, 8.1, (7), 5.8, (5)
Wycombe, 8.0, (14), 12.0, (21)
Rochford, 8.0, (7), 5.7, (5)
South Staffordshire, 8.0, (9), 7.1, (8)
Medway, 7.9, (22), 10.1, (28)
Isle of Wight, 7.8, (11), 7.8, (11)
South Oxfordshire, 7.7, (11), 9.2, (13)
Ashford, 7.7, (10), 10.0, (13)
Epping Forest, 7.6, (10), 9.9, (13)
Teignbridge, 7.5, (10), 7.5, (10)
Shropshire, 7.4, (24), 13.3, (43)
South Gloucestershire, 7.4, (21), 16.8, (48)
West Devon, 7.2, (4), 10.8, (6)
Staffordshire Moorlands, 7.1, (7), 17.3, (17)
Dartford, 7.1, (8), 17.8, (20)
Wirral, 7.1, (23), 8.0, (26)
Folkestone and Hythe, 7.1, (8), 7.1, (8)
Craven, 7.0, (4), 12.3, (7)
Maidstone, 7.0, (12), 11.6, (20)
Cannock Chase, 6.9, (7), 7.9, (8)
Derbyshire Dales, 6.9, (5), 4.1, (3)
Fareham, 6.9, (8), 5.2, (6)
Mole Valley, 6.9, (6), 6.9, (6)
Tunbridge Wells, 6.7, (8), 9.3, (11)
North Hertfordshire, 6.7, (9), 9.0, (12)
Lichfield, 6.7, (7), 10.5, (11)
New Forest, 6.7, (12), 7.2, (13)
Castle Point, 6.6, (6), 2.2, (2)
Darlington, 6.6, (7), 17.8, (19)
Gravesham, 6.5, (7), 15.9, (17)
Tamworth, 6.5, (5), 7.8, (6)
Babergh, 6.5, (6), 9.8, (9)
Welwyn Hatfield, 6.5, (8), 16.3, (20)
Somerset West and Taunton, 6.4, (10), 5.8, (9)
Winchester, 6.4, (8), 7.2, (9)
Bolsover, 6.2, (5), 1.2, (1)
Wychavon, 6.2, (8), 4.6, (6)
East Hertfordshire, 6.0, (9), 7.3, (11)
Bromsgrove, 6.0, (6), 5.0, (5)
Harlow, 5.7, (5), 21.8, (19)
East Hampshire, 5.7, (7), 11.4, (14)
North Norfolk, 5.7, (6), 12.4, (13)
North Somerset, 5.6, (12), 15.8, (34)
Gloucester, 5.4, (7), 4.6, (6)
Exeter, 5.3, (7), 4.6, (6)
Mid Sussex, 5.3, (8), 6.0, (9)
Dorset, 5.3, (20), 6.9, (26)
Mendip, 5.2, (6), 12.1, (14)
Cheltenham, 5.2, (6), 11.2, (13)
North Devon, 5.1, (5), 7.2, (7)
Allerdale, 5.1, (5), 1.0, (1)
Basingstoke and Deane, 5.1, (9), 4.5, (8)
Cornwall and Isles of Scilly, 4.9, (28), 5.6, (32)
Horsham, 4.9, (7), 9.7, (14)
Wealden, 3.7, (6), 7.4, (12)
Carlisle, 3.7, (4), 4.6, (5)
South Somerset, 3.6, (6), 5.9, (10)
Dover, 3.4, (4), 11.9, (14)
Runnymede, 3.4, (3), 7.8, (7)
Sevenoaks, 3.3, (4), 7.5, (9)
Hastings, 3.2, (3), 8.6, (8)
Tewkesbury, 3.2, (3), 7.4, (7)
Torridge, 2.9, (2), 4.4, (3)
Ryedale, 1.8, (1), 5.4, (3)
Amber Valley, 1.6, (2), 4.7, (6)
Brentwood, 1.3, (1), 9.1, (7)
Eastbourne, 0.0, (0), 3.9, (4)
