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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
National

UK coronavirus LIVE: Death toll jumps by nine as London faces 'critical' time in virus fight

Londoners must not “bend the rules” on social distancing and good hygiene as the capital faces a “critical time” in its coronavirus battle, a world health chief has warned.

Dr David Nabarro told the Standard the risk of a Covid-19 surge in the city is now “extremely serious” after the latest figures showed a rising infection rate in 22 boroughs.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan has hit out at Boris Johnson for failing to include him in key decisions, following reports the M25 could be used to seal off the capital in the event of a fresh virus spike.

The warnings come as the Government's Eat Out to Help Out scheme gets under way in England, with thousands of diners tucking into half price meals already today.

In other developments, two new “game-changing” tests that can detect both coronavirus and flu within 90 minutes are to be rolled out in a bid to prevent a second wave of the pandemic, and the death toll in UK hospitals has risen by nine.

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