Mr Deputy Speaker, with permission, I'd like to make a statement on coronavirus.
As a country we have made huge strides in our fight against this invisible killer.
Today's ONS figures show that the weekly coronavirus deaths have dropped to the lowest number since mid-March.
And the latest daily number of recorded deaths is 3.
However, Mr Deputy Speaker, we have seen a concerning rise in the number of positive cases, particularly amongst younger people.
And these figures serve as a salutary reminder that this virus is still very much with us and remains a threat.
So it is critical that we maintain our collective commitment to controlling this disease.
And social distancing is the first line of defence.
While young people are less likely to die from this disease, be in no doubt that they are still at risk.
The long-term effects can be terrible, and of course they can infect others.
Six months on, many people are still suffering chronic fatigue, muscle pain and breathing difficulties.
Previously fit and healthy people reduced to barely being able to function.
A King's College survey, published today, shows that 300,000 people in the UK have reported symptoms lasting for more than a month and 60,000 people have been ill for more than 3 months.
And Mr Deputy Speaker, I want to address the point, which is of course good news, that the number of people sadly dying from coronavirus in this country is currently low.
We've seen all across the world how a rise in cases, initially among younger people, then spreads - leading to hospitalisations and fatalities.
In Spain, where the rise in cases started around 2 months ago, hospitalisations have risen 15 times since mid-July.
The number of daily deaths has reached 184.
In France, hospitalisations have more than tripled in the same period.
So this must be a moment of clarity for us all.
This is not over.
Just because we've come through one peak, it doesn't mean we can't see another coming towards our shores.
But together, we can tackle it.
So long as we remember that in a pandemic, our actions today have consequences tomorrow, for the people we love, for our communities, and for our country.
Mr Deputy Speaker, each and every citizen has a responsibility to follow social distancing and help stop a second peak.
And after social distancing, the next line of defence is test and trace.
Test and trace
Over the past 6 months we've built the biggest testing system of any major European country, and one of the biggest testing systems in the world.
And today, I can tell the House that we have met our target to provide testing kits to all care homes for older people and people with dementia, that have registered to get tests.
But I will not rest.
We are working flat out to expand our testing capacity even further.
Using existing technology, we are expanding our capacity right now.
And we are investing in new testing technology too.
Last week, I was able to announce £500 million for next-generation tests, like saliva tests and rapid turnaround tests that can deliver results in just 20 minutes.
The ability to get rapid, on-the-spot results will significantly increase the weapons in our armoury, in our fight both against coronavirus, and for economic recovery.
We are rolling out these tests right now and plan to use them to relieve capacity constraints. To expand asymptomatic testing to find the virus and to give people the confidence that a negative test result brings.
Local action
Next, Mr Deputy Speaker, where it's necessary we will not shy from taking targeted local action.
In June, I established the Joint Biosecurity Centre, to provide the best possible data analytics, using information from all possible sources.
Our local action is driven by the data.
We now publish daily local data on cases so that everyone can see the data on which these decisions are taken.
And this shows that our approach is working.
For instance, in both Leicester and Luton, the weekly case rate has more than halved during August.
I want to thank the people of Leicester, including the Honorable Gentleman opposite and of Luton, and the other areas where we've taken local action, who have followed social distancing and helped bring the virus under control.
Sometimes local action requires us to act fast and respond to changing circumstances.
And unfortunately, after improving for several weeks, we have seen a very significant rise in cases in Bolton.
Bolton is now up to 120 cases per 100,000, the highest case rate in the country.
I am publishing the data behind the decisions we have taken.
I must therefore tell the House that, working with the local council, we are taking further local action.
The rise in cases in Bolton is partly due to socialising by people in their 20s and 30s. We know this from contact tracing.
And through
