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Covid in London is “out of control”

The figures are startling, and look likely to get worse in the UK. On Friday it was reported that further 1,325 people have died with coronavirus within 28 days of testing positive – the highest number of UK deaths reported on a single day since the pandemic began. In London mayor Sadiq Khan declared a “major incident” over the increase of cases in the capital’s hospitals. One in 30 Londoners (almost 3%) now has Covid-19. Mr Khan said: “The situation in London is now critical with the spread of the virus out of control.”

^{The mayor of London declared a “major incident” in the capital as coronavirus emergencies threaten to overwhelm hospitals and ambulance services. Sadiq Khan is calling for places of worship to be closed and facemasks to be worn routinely outside the home as Covid-19 cases exceed 1,000 per 100,000 in the city. In some areas of the capital, the rate of testing positive is as high as one in 15 people which means a percentage of more than 6%. “Major incidents” have previously been declared in London for the Grenfell Tower fire in 2017 and following terror attacks.}

^{More than 100 positive Covid-19 cases have been recorded after tests were carried out among players and staff of 66 English Football League Clubs. A total of 112 individuals tested positive out of the 3,507 players and club staff which is a percentage of 3%.}

^{A coronavirus outbreak at PL team Aston Villa meant no first-team player was available for Friday‘s FA Cup third round tie against Liverpool. The club fielded a starting XI composed of seven under-23 players and four from the under-18s. It took the Reds some time to eventually overcome the resilient youngsters. Villa lost the game 1-4 (1-1).}

^{Government advisers believe that the true rate of infection is about 50 per cent higher than in the spring and is unlikely to fall substantially for months. The present lockdown is less strict than in March, with more people at work, more children in school, nurseries open and support bubbles allowed.}

^{Car traffic, which fell to 32 per cent of normal levels in March, is now about 60 per cent. Tube use in London is 19 per cent of normal, compared with about 5 per cent at the start of the March lockdown.}

^{Professor Kevin McConway said in The Times: “The numbers needing hospital treatment are going to keep rising. If they do double in the next three weeks, as more people who are already infected need hospitalisation, things are going to get very difficult in hospitals across a lot of the country.”}

January 8, 2021 at 11:43 pm Leave a comment