LONDON, Oct. 21 (Xinhua) -- South Yorkshire, a metropolitan county in north-central England, will move its local COVID-19 alert level from "High" to "Very High", the top restriction level, from Saturday, the British Department of Health and Social Care announced Wednesday.

With the adjusting of the alert level, new restrictive measures will come into place.

Under the new measures, people must not socialize with anybody they do not live with, or have formed a support bubble with, in any indoor setting or in any private garden or at most outdoor hospitality venues and ticketed events, said the department.

They must not socialize in a group of more than six in an outdoor public space such as a park or beach, the countryside, a public garden or a sports venue.

Meanwhile, all pubs and bars must close, unless they are serving substantial meals. Betting shops, adult gaming centers, casinos and soft play centers also must close.

People are asked to try to avoid travelling outside the "very high" alert level or entering a "very high" alert level area, other than for work, education or for caring responsibilities or to travel through as part of a longer journey, etc, said the department.

The new three-tier COVID-19 alert system set out by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson came into force last week across England as the country struggles to fight the coronavirus pandemic.

The alert system comprises three levels:　"Medium", "High" and "Very High" with the level being decided according to local infection rates.

In South Yorkshire, the case rates of COVID-19 infections are among the highest in the country and continuing to rise rapidly with case rates ranging from 285 people per 100,000 in Doncaster up to 402 people per 100,000 in Sheffield, according to the department.

Johnson on Tuesday said that Greater Manchester will move into Tier Three, the highest level of COVID-19 restrictions, from midnight on Thursday.

The announcement came as Britain on Tuesday recorded highest daily coronavirus-related death toll since June, according to official figures.

Meanwhile, another 21,331 people in Britain have tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the total number of coronavirus cases in the country to 762,542, the data showed.

To bring life back to normal, countries, such as Britain, China, Russia and the United States, are racing against time to develop coronavirus vaccines. Enditem

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