The United Kingdom counted a gigantic more than forty-eight thousand new COVID-19 cases Sunday, greater than any other nation globally, just a day before most of the country planned to withdraw all of its pandemic-related restrictions despite rising infections. Moreover, the latest number represents a more than forty-three percent surge in new virus cases compared to one week before as the United Kingdom is facing another wave that experts relate to the spread of delta variant and which believed to be more transmissible than previous variants of the virus.
The #COVID19 Dashboard has been updated: https://t.co/XhspoyTG79
On 18 July, 48,161 new cases and 25 deaths within 28 days of a positive test were reported across the UK.
46,295,853 people have now received the first dose of a #vaccine. 35,970,849 have received a 2nd dose. pic.twitter.com/C8m9Q5bcQb
— Public Health England (@PHE_uk) July 18, 2021
Additionally, according to the latest statistics, the new cases of the virus mainly reported among young and unvaccinated Britishers, who were among the last in line to be eligible to receive a jab from the United Kingdom’s National Health Service, which is now offering inoculation for anyone eighteen and older. As a result, England, which makes up over eighty-four percent of the United Kingdom population, announced to pull out all pandemic restrictions Monday, including face mask rules and capacity guidelines.
Moreover, the other three nations that are part of the U.K. – Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales – will also ease their existing restrictions, but not to England’s extent. The statistics of Public Health England show COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths remain far lower than during the last pandemic peaks, which experts attribute to inoculations preventing serious sickness, though the numbers increased over the last week.
Scientists and Doctors Signed a Petition to Urged the Government to Reconsider
Indonesia, India, Russia, and Iran respectively counted the maximum new daily COIVD-19 cases after the U.K. on Sunday. In addition, Sajid Javid, the new health secretary of the U.K. government, tested positive for COVID-19 over the weekend, sending some of the top officials of the country – including Boris Johnson, the Prime Minister of the U.K. – into isolation.
Source: Web
The announcement to open up the country amid the spike in new cases drew reactions from the public health officials, including the medical community members. After Johnson’s administration, earlier this month decided to ease restrictions, around one hundred and twenty-two doctors and scientists signed an open letter calling the move premature and dangerous and urged the administration to reconsider the decision.
According to the Johns Hopkins University statistics, the United Kingdom recorded over 5.4 million confirmed new cases and approximately one lac and twenty-nine thousand deaths, making it the worst-hit nation in Europe by COVID-19. Notwithstanding having a more effective and active campaign than most European nations, new infections started to progressively increase again in June, though deaths and hospitalizations stayed low.
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