London will move to a Tier 2 lockdown from midnight on Friday as coronavirus restrictions continue to be tightened across the country.

Essex is also expected to move to the ‘high’ tier when Health Secretary Matt Hancock makes an announcement this morning as infection rates continue to rise at an alarming rate.

Later today, Greater Manchester and Lancashire are also reportedly set to be forced into a Tier 3 lockdown.

The stricter Tier 2 rules will mean people cannot mix indoors with people from other households, but will still be able to interact outside in places such as beer gardens.

The rule of six will still apply to outdoor areas in parts of the country where Tier 2 is being enforced.

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said this morning: "The virus is spreading rapidly in every corner of our city. 

"Hospital admissions are up, more patients are going into intensive care units, and sadly the number of Londoners dying is increasing again."

Meanwhile, Tier 3 regulations for Greater Manchester and Lancashire will see the closure of pubs and bars that do not serve main meals.

Hancock is expected to formally announce the move to put London and Essex into Tier 2 at 11:30am in the House of Commons.

Yesterday, Britain recorded their second-highest number of new infections with 19,724 people testing positive for the virus.

And another 137 people have died from COVID-19 over the past 24 hours meaning the UK’s death toll now stands at 43,155.