Health Secretary Matt Hancock will lead a Downing Street press conference at 3pm.
Deputy chief medical officer Dr Jenny Harries and Dr Susan Hopkins of Public Health England will join him.
It comes as the reproduction number for coronavirus in the UK – the R value – is now reckoned to be between 1.1 and 1.3, latest Government data suggests.
Cases will continue to grow as long as the rate is above 1.0.
LIVE: Updates as Matt Hancock expected to announce more Tier 4 areas
There has been speculation more areas are expected to go into Tier 4 on Boxing Day.
The R value is highest in the East of England and in London, with an R value of 1.2 to 1.5. This means that every 10 people infected will infect between 12 and 15 further people.
The R value in England as a whole is 1.1-1.4, and is lowest in the North East and Yorkshire, and in the North West (0.9-11).
More follows
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel