Britain's capital London and parts of southeast England will be put under more stringent Covid-19 restrictions from early on Wednesday, health minister Matt Hancock said, saying the rise in cases could overwhelm hospital services.

“Over the last week we've seen very sharp, exponential rises in the virus across London, Kent, parts of Essex and Hertfordshire [...] We therefore have decided to move greater London, the south and west of Essex [...] and the south of Hertfordshire [...] into tier three, which is the very high alert level,” Hancock told parliament.

“There restrictions will come into force at midnight on Wednesday morning.”

Opinion

Editorial

Holding the line
16 Mar, 2026

Holding the line

PAKISTAN’S long battle against polio has recently produced encouraging signs. Data from the national eradication...
Power self-reliance
Updated 16 Mar, 2026

Power self-reliance

PAKISTAN’S transition to domestic sources of electricity is a welcome development for a country that has long been...
Looking for safety
16 Mar, 2026

Looking for safety

AS the Middle East conflict enters its third week, the war’s most enduring victims are not those who wage it....
Battling hate
Updated 15 Mar, 2026

Battling hate

In the current scenario, geopolitical conflict, racial prejudice and religious bigotry all contribute to the threats Muslims face.
TB drugs shortage
15 Mar, 2026

TB drugs shortage

‘CRIMINAL negligence’ is the phrase that jumps to mind when one considers the disturbing consequences of the...
Chinese diplomacy
Updated 14 Mar, 2026

Chinese diplomacy

THERE are signs that China is taking a more active role in trying to resolve the issue of cross-border terrorism...