Covid-19 rates: Can London be different from other regions?

As the capital moves to tier 2 restrictions, we look at factors that may - or may not - influence the impact of the virus in London compared with other English cities

The number of coronavirus infections is rising across the UK, but until recently it was England's northern cities which seemed to be igniting like powder kegs while London was smouldering but not catching fire. But the announcement that second-tier restrictions (high alert level) would be imposed on the capital from Saturday heralded the possibility that people in London would not escape a second wave.

Infection rates in 12 London boroughs already exceed 100 cases per 100,000; Richmond upon Thames tops the list at 140.