RAHUL SHARMA DEBT CONNECT IN MANCHESTER, UK,
A Covid spike in Bolton and Trafford has prompted council bosses to ask for restrictions to remain in place, a day before they were due to be lifted.
Tighter rules were introduced in July in Greater Manchester and parts of Yorkshire after concerns the virus was being spread between households.
Bolton currently has one of the highest rates of new virus cases per 100,000 residents in England.
Its council said it had made the decision "with a heavy heart".
On Friday, the government said measures banning people from different households from meeting indoors or private gardens would be lifted in Bolton, Stockport, Trafford, Burnley, Hyndburn and parts of Bradford, Calderdale and Kirklees.
But Bolton Council said the "unforeseen spike" in the local infection rate means restrictions should remain in place "until further notice".
Bolton has recorded 170 new cases in the week to 29 August, up from 53 the week before, meaning it has one of the highest rates in England at 59 new cases per 100,000 residents.
The rate in Trafford has risen from 19.4 to 35.4, with 84 new cases.
The decision would also mean certain businesses, including those offering close-contact services, will not reopen as planned.
Bolton council leader David Greenhalgh said: "It is with a heavy heart that [we] have come to this decision and this will be incredibly disappointing for both residents and business owners.
"We urged the government to lift Bolton out of the additional restrictions at a time when infection rates were low. This was the right decision at the time.
"However, there has been a sudden and unforeseeable rise in the number of coronavirus cases in Bolton.
"We have always been led by the data, which means we have no choice but to act quickly to keep everyone safe."
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