Alarming new data shows 15 places where coronavirus infection rates have soared in the past week - including several that have previously been under the radar.
Manchester and Salford are among the areas in local lockdown where the killer virus is on the rise, alongside Blackburn with Darwen, which had seemed to be on the right track.
But several areas not currently covered by restrictions are experiencing rising infections. Birmingham has also seen a steep rise in cases, Public Health England figures show.
Northampton has England's highest rate - thanks to an outbreak at the Greencore sandwich factory - but is not currently covered by restrictions.