Coronavirus latest: 173 new cases confirmed in Central Bedfordshire

The total number of cases in the district now stands at 5,527 (+173).

The case rate in Central Beds is now 310.1 per 100,000.

Elsewhere in the county, Luton has 8,015 (+143) cases while Bedford's figure is at 4,471 (+91).

There have been 2,040,147 lab-confirmed cases across the UK, up by a daily rise of 35,928.

67,401 deaths within 28 days of a positive test have been recorded, up by 326 today.

It was announced yesterday that Bedfordshire would enter Tier 4 restrictions today (Sunday).

Under Tier 4, rules are as follows:

> Non-essential shops, gyms, cinemas, hairdressers and bowling alleys will be forced to close for two weeks;

> People will be restricted to meeting one other person from another household in an outdoor public space;

> Under the new “stay at home” order, people in Tier 4 will be told they should not stay away from home overnight;

> People should not to travel into a tier four area, though support bubbles will remain unaffected as do the exemptions for separated parents and their children.