LONDON — British Prime Minister Boris Johnson predicted a difficult winter due to coronavirus and other pressures on the National Health Service, as his government acknowledged worsening data in its pandemic response.
“We’re starting to see indications that hospitalizations and death rates are increasing,” Johnson’s official spokesman Max Blain said to reporters Tuesday. “Clearly we are keeping a very close eye on rising case rates.”
Weekly deaths from coronavirus have topped 800 for each of the past six weeks in Britain, higher than in other major western European nations, according to Bloomberg’s coronavirus tracker. To date, the U.K. has recorded almost 140,000 COVID-related fatalities.
However, despite warning of tough times ahead, Johnson said current measures are keeping the virus under control, according to a readout of his Cabinet meeting with ministers issued by 10 Downing Street. Johnson has previously said he would consider bringing back measures such as compulsory face masks and advice to work from home if pressure on the NHS became unsustainable.
The United Kingdom has seen a recent surge in COVID cases, reporting its highest daily jump since mid-July on Sunday. It is facing calls for urgent research into a mutation of the delta variant, that’s known as delta plus and is present in Britain. Hospitalizations are currently at about 20% of the levels seen during the previous peak in the U.K. and deaths about 10%, which Blain attributed to the effects of the vaccine rollout.
Health Secretary Sajid Javid said Tuesday that the government would shortly set out a detailed program for how it will deal with winter pressures on the NHS.
“Usually winters are tough for the NHS, but I think this winter will be particularly tough,“ Javid said in the House of Commons.
