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LONDON: The UK is at a critical point in the COVID-19 pandemic and facing a very challenging winter, one of the government’s top medical advisers warned in a public briefing on Monday.
Cases in Britain are increasing in what Prime Minister Boris Johnson has called a second wave of the virus, with large areas of the country subject to restrictions on social freedom and London is expected to be next in line.
“The trend in the UK is going in the wrong direction and we are at a critical point in the pandemic,” England’s chief medical officer Chris Whitty is expected to say in a direction set for 1000 GMT on Monday.
“We are analyzing the data to see how to manage the spread of the virus before a very challenging winter period.”
More than 40,000 people in Britain have died within 28 days of testing positive for COVID-19 since the pandemic began in March, the highest number in Europe.
New cases fell rapidly due to an unprecedented three-month nationwide shutdown, but have risen as the economy shut down, schools and offices reopened. The government has come under fire for a shortage of testing capacity.
Whitty’s warning is expected to herald a national address by Johnson later in the week, although this has not been confirmed by ministers.
Health Minister Matt Hancock warned Sunday that the country was at a tipping point and said people must follow self-isolation rules or face the imposition of new lockdown measures. The government announced large fines for non-compliance.
Hancock has refused to rule out another national lockdown, something Johnson has said would have disastrous consequences for the economy, and said officials will meet to decide how best to handle the growing cases in London.
– Reuters
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