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People living in Luton and Blackburn won't see lockdown measures eased at the same rate as other parts of the country.

This is because there has been a spike in the number of coronavirus cases in both towns.

Luton and Blackburn have been labelled 'areas of intervention' by Public Health England (PHE), which is the government department responsible for the nation's health and wellbeing.

It means these areas are currently receiving more coronavirus support from the government compared to other parts of the country and important measures have been put in place to help tackle the increase in the number of cases.

It's believed this is the best way to help prevent the towns going into something known as a local lockdown.

What steps are being taken to stop the rise in coronavirus cases?

In Blackburn, the council has been working with PHE to introduce measures to help limit the spread of the coronavirus.

At the moment, only two people from the same household are able to visit another household. Face masks also have to be worn in all enclosed public spaces and people aren't allowed to hug or shake hands with anybody outside of their household.

Gyms and leisure centres won't be opening in Blackburn this weekend and more coronavirus testing is being carried out in the town.

Councillor Mohammed Khan, who heads up Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council has said it's "sensible not to relax" lockdown restrictions, as the rate of Covid-19 cases have gone up.

He said the community in Blackburn should "keep up the momentum" to help reduce virus numbers.

Lots of measures have also been put in place in Luton to combat the spike in the number of coronavirus cases.

Gyms, pools, and other leisure facilities will remain closed until further notice. Play areas will also stay shut.

People living in Luton are being advised not to make social visits to other people's homes and to stay at home as much as possible. If they are meeting others, they are encouraged to do this outside and to limit groups to no more than six people unless they are from the same household.

Residents are also expected to follow social distancing guidelines, wash their hands frequently and wear face coverings.

What will happen if the number of coronavirus cases continues to increase?

More drastic steps may need to be taken in Blackburn and Luton if the number of coronavirus cases continues to go up.

The towns could find themselves under local lockdowns enforced by the government, which could mean places like shops, restaurants, cinemas and hairdressers would have to temporarily close.

At the moment, both towns are monitoring the number of cases to see how effective if the guidelines that have been put in place are.

Do you live in Blackburn or Luton? How do you feel about the spike in coronavirus cases? Let us know in the comments.