Amid warnings from scientists that the UK’s epidemic is doubling every seven days, which could lead to 50,000 cases a day by mid-October, the UK has imposed new restrictions to try and limit the spread of coronavirus.

The country’s chief medical officers also advised that COVID-19 alert level be raised from 3 to 4. According to the government’s 5-tier alert system, an alert level of 4 indicates that transmission is high or rising exponentially and warrants increased social distancing measures.

The UK is currently recording around 3000 cases per day, compared to around 5000 a day at the peak of the epidemic in spring.