(Bloomberg) --

Britain is at a “critical point” in the coronavirus pandemic, Prime Minister Boris Johnson will be told on Monday, as concern mounts that a second lockdown may be needed to stop the renewed spread of the disease.

Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty plans to sound the alert, saying U.K. data are heading in the “wrong direction,” according to a preview of remarks prepared for a public briefing.

The warning comes amid expectations that local restrictions could soon be extended to London. Mayor Sadiq Khan will recommend tightened rules for the capital on Monday, LBC radio reported.

Whitty’s comments underscore the balancing act facing Johnson’s government, which is trying to keep infections under control without inflicting further damage on an economy that slumped more than any other developed country during the pandemic.

With daily cases of the disease at the highest level since May, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said Sunday that national restrictions could be reimposed unless people comply with rules that include limiting gatherings to six people. Asked if London office workers could be asked to work from home again this week, he told Times Radio: “Well, I wouldn’t rule it out.”

Fines Threatened

The government reinforced that message by announcing that people in England who refuse an order to self-isolate could be fined 10,000 pounds ($12,917). A new legal duty requires people to self-isolate if they test positive for coronavirus, or are traced as a close contact, starting Sept. 28.

The government reported 4,422 new Covid-19 cases on Saturday, fueling concern that the U.K. could follow the paths of Spain and France, where hospitalizations are rising again.

The U.K. test-and-trace system is under strain and local restrictions in place in the north and midlands could be extended to London, where infection rates are the highest in the country after the northwest.

There are also reports that ministers are considering a two-week national lockdown in October as a virus “circuit breaker.” Hancock once again refused to rule out any option, but insisted country-wide measures were a “last line of defense.”

Johnson’s office on Sunday set fines for breaching self-isolation rules to start at 1,000 pounds, in line with the penalty for breaking quarantine after international travel. They could reach 10,000 pounds for repeat offenses and “egregious” cases.

Those on lower incomes who face a loss of earnings as a result of going into quarantine will be eligible for a one-time support payment of 500 pounds.

©2020 Bloomberg L.P.