Karim El-Bar
09 April 2020•Update: 10 April 2020
LONDON
The British health authorities announced on Thursday that the U.K.-wide death toll from coronavirus rose by 881 in the last 24 hours.
The government said 243,421 have been tested for the coronavirus, with 65,077 resulting in positive, of which 7,978 have died.
At a Downing Street press briefing earlier in the day, the prime minister’s spokesman said: “Boris Johnson had a good night and continues to improve in intensive care at St Thomas’ hospital. He is in good spirits.”
Johnson is continuing to receive "standard" oxygen treatment in intensive care and although he is not currently doing any work, he is able to get in touch with Downing Street if necessary.
Johnson will also not be a part of the decision as to whether the government will renew the lockdown, which will be reviewed every three weeks, with the first review due on Monday.
At the daily press briefing led by Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, who is deputizing for Johnson, said that the prime minister “continues to make positive steps forward” and is in “good spirits.”
He suggested the U.K. lockdown would continue, saying: “As we go into this long bank holiday weekend, people should think long and hard about what happens to those on the NHS frontline, who are doing a heroic job, if people in large numbers don’t comply with the rules.
“I would urge everyone to take a moment before they do anything, however warm it is, however great the temptation, just to think about the sacrifices those on the frontline are making.”
“The measures will have to stay in place until the evidence shows we have moved beyond the peak,” he said, and noted: “Please stay home, for everyone’s sake, this bank holiday weekend.”
“We’re not done yet,” Raab said, adding: “We must keep going.”
Since originating in Wuhan, China last December, the virus has spread to at least 184 countries and regions.
There are more than 1.5 million confirmed cases worldwide, with more than 90,000 deaths, and over 340,600 recoveries.
