Boris Johnson has warned Britons the "only way" to avoid a new national lockdown is to follow the latest coronavirus rules with cases "going in the wrong direction".

The Prime Minister, flanked by his chief medical and scientific advisers, said the UK faced a "critical moment" in the fight against COVID-19.

England's chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty said there had been a "significant uptick" in the number of coronavirus patients in intensive care in northeast England, northwest England and London.

"The direction of travel for both hospitals and intensive care is going in the wrong direction, particularly in the areas that have seen rapid increases in cases," Prof Whitty said.

It was the 100th Downing Street coronavirus briefing since the start of the pandemic.

SUBSCRIBE to our YouTube channel for more videos: http://www.youtube.com/skynews

Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/skynews

Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/skynews

Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skynews

For more content go to http://news.sky.com and download our apps:

Apple: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/sky-news/id316391924?mt=8

Android https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.bskyb.skynews.android&hl=en_GB

Sky News videos are now available in Spanish here/Los video de Sky News están disponibles en español aquí https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzG5BnqHO8oNlrPDW9CYJog