The number of confirmed coronavirus cases recorded within the uk has now surpassed three million, because the human cost of the COVID-19 pandemic continues to mount amid growing fears about the fast-spreading new variants of the virus.
UK authorities on Saturday announced another 59,937 new infections and 1,035 related fatalities, taking the entire death toll to 80,868 – one among the highest in Europe, alongside Italy.
Reporting from London, Al Jazeera’s Neave Barker described things as “extremely bad”.
“Before the majority of the population receive the vaccine, there could be a big impact on how hospitals are ready to cope … [as well as] the price and therefore the rate of infection,” he said.
To date, quite 1.5 million people within the UK have received coronavirus jabs, with the elderly, their carers and doctors prioritised during the immunisation drive.
The government has launched a replacement public awareness campaign to urge people to raised suits coronavirus restrictions, with Chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty appearing during a video advertisement urging people to remain home the maximum amount as possible, protect the National Health Service (NHS) and save lives.
Citizens also are encouraged people to not be complacent and act as if they need the virus, or people around them may need COVID-19.
Last week, the govt announced what’s now the third national lockdown because it battles a replacement , more contagious variant of coronavirus that has swept across Britain.
The infection surge threatens to overwhelm hospitals, putting more strain on doctors and nurses who are already tired after almost a year of the pandemic.
“We are hearing about people being treated in ambulances and car parks outside the hospital because there’s no room inside to bring people in,” said Dr Tom Dolphin, a hospital anaesthetist and spokesman for British Medical Association council. “It’s going to the purpose where we are struggling to take care of basic standards in some hospitals.”
The number of COVID-19 patients treated in hospital in London was up within the first week of January alone by almost a 3rd , and therefore the number of artificially ventilated patients rose by quite 40 percent, consistent with Khan.
Hundreds of firefighters came to the help of the health service to drive ambulances.
Meanwhile, Britain’s Queen Elizabeth and her husband, Philip , were among those to be vaccinated on Saturday. it’s understood the monarch decided the knowledge should be made public to stop inaccuracies and speculation.
The UK is banking on the roll-out of the Pfizer/BioNTech and Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccines to halt the spread of the virus.
Regulators within the country in the week also approved US firm Moderna’s vaccine – the third to be authorised to be used .
The government aims to possess inoculated 15 million of the foremost vulnerable groups – including front-line staff at the NHS – by mid-February, and has deployed soldiers to assist with the roll-out.
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