Lancashire has moved into a Tier 3 lockdown with pubs forced to shut, it’s understood, as the row over Manchester’s restrictions goes on

The UK’s coronavirus ‘R’ number remains unchanged at 1.3-1.5 – but England’s has fallen slightly.

Last week the R rate, which measures the spread of the coronavirus, for the whole UK was estimated at 1.2-1.5.

The R rate for England is estimated at being 1.2 to 1.4 – down 0.1 on last week.

There have been an estimated 27,900 new cases of coronavirus reported in England per day in the last week, official statistics have revealed. 

The Office for National Statistics weekly infection survey has revealed an estimated 336,500 people in England had coronavirus during the most recent week for which they have data, from 2 to 8 October 2020, equating to around 1 in 160 people.

Lancashire has moved into a Tier 3 lockdown with pubs forced to shut.

Parts of Lancashire have recorded big jumps in their seven-day coronavirus rates include Burnley (up from 415.0 to 605.0, with 538 new cases) and Blackburn with Darwen (up from 257.9 to 442.2, with 662 new cases).

The news comes as the row over Manchester’s restrictions goes on.