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Birmingham Could Face Local Lockdown 'Within Days' Amid Spike In Coronavirus Cases

Birmingham city council leader, Ian Ward, urged the city to act now to prevent a return to the “dark days” of lockdown.  
Birmingham city council leader, Ian Ward, urged the city to act now to prevent a return to the “dark days” of lockdown.

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Birmingham could be placed under a city-wide lockdown in a matter of days if coronavirus infection rates do not improve, officials and police have warned.

The UK’s second-largest city is “at a knife edge moment”, with latest figures showing the number of people testing positive for Covid-19 had risen to 30 cases per 100,000 this week, up from 22.4 the week before and 12 at the start of the month.

Birmingham city council leader, Ian Ward, urged the city to act now to prevent a return to the “dark days” of lockdown.

In a statement to Birmingham residents, he said a second lockdown ”will set our already-fragile economy back and that could mean more job uncertainty and further struggles to make ends meet for many.”

He added: “Most people are still doing the right things – the basics such as handwashing, wearing face coverings in the appropriate places and keeping 2m apart wherever possible.

“We all need to keep doing this. I understand that lockdown fatigue has inevitably set in for some and that the easing of restrictions means it is easy to take your eye off the ball.

“But we have to remain focussed. If we are forced to go back to the dark days of spring it will be because we haven’t collectively done our bit for the greater good of the city.”

Local police have also called on residents to adhere to social distancing and avoid gatherings.

Superintendent Gareth Morris told the public to “do your utmost to follow the guidelines as restrictive as they are, so we can once again be reunited with the people and things we love.”

In a statement, he said: “Many lockdown measures have been relaxed, but if new cases rise we will undoubtedly face the potential of stepping back into those restrictions. We all must do what we can to avoid another lockdown.

“The impact on people’s lives and businesses has already been so significantly affected by...

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