England's second city tightens restrictions as virus spikes

LONDON (AP) — Households in England's second city, Birmingham, are being urged to stop socializing with others from Friday as part of a dramatic tightening of coronavirus restrictions in the wake of a sharp spike in new confirmed cases.

Amid mounting evidence of a pick-up in transmission rates across the U.K., the mayor of the West Midlands, Andy Street, said tougher restrictions on household mixing in Birmingham, and the nearby boroughs of Solihull and Sandwell, were necessary in light of a big local increase in virus cases.

Though the ban formally comes into effect on Tuesday, Street advised affected residents "to avoid household mixing before then as it has been identified as one of the drivers of transmission.”

Street said younger people have “to take responsibility” since the biggest growth in cases is among those below the age of 40. He also said that the restrictions don't apply to schools, workplaces or transportation.

“It is about household mixing,” he said.

The city’s director of public health, Dr. Justin Varney, said the uptick in cases is “linked primarily to private household gatherings” at the end of August.

According to NHS Digital data, the latest seven-day rate for the city to Sept. 8 showed 78.2 cases per 100,000, with 892 infections over the period — among the highest in Birmingham since April’s peak. For the previous seven-day period, the rate was just over 30.

The move, which affects more than 1 million people, is the latest hardening of restrictions following a recent spike in cases across the U.K, particularly among young adults.

Earlier this week, the British government, which has sole responsibility for public health matters in England, said social gatherings will be limited to six people from Monday both indoors and...