A teenager, 18, has become the youngest person to die of coronavirus in the UK as the victim is one of 47 new deaths in 24 hours with the toll hitting 281 and total cases leaping by 665 to reach 5,683.
Boris Johnson has warned that people not following social distancing guidelines amid the coronavirus outbreak are ‘putting other people’s lives at risk’ as he hinted he could ban all Britons from leaving their homes if they don’t keep six feet apart.
It came as an 18-year-old, from Coventry, died of Covid-19, marking the UK’s youngest fatality as 47 new victims brought Britain’s death toll to 281.
It comes as 665 new cases were recorded – with Boris Johnson threatening to shut parks if people don’t keep their distance.
The total number of coronavirus cases in the UK is now at 5,683 and the Prime Minister warned the British public today that they had 24 hours to take social distancing measures seriously or he will implement an Italian-style total lockdown, after thousands continued to flout anti-coronavirus measures.
The PM used his daily press conference to warn there was ‘no doubt’ he would act to close open spaces and limit all movement outside homes if people continued to act foolishly, but stopped short of immediate action.
He later added: ‘I don’t think you need to use your imagination very much to see where we might have to go, and we will think about this very very actively in the next 24 hours.’
Earlier, in a message to the nation, the Prime Minister warned Britain was only ‘two or three’ weeks behind Italy where the death toll has already risen above 4,000 making it the worst outbreak anywhere in the world.
He said that unless the UK could control the spread of the virus through social distancing, the NHS would be ‘overwhelmed’ in the same way that the Italian healthcare system had been.
However, the deputy chief medical officer for England, Dr Jenny Harries, cautioned against comparing the UK’s figures too closely with other countries’.
‘As you go through a sharp rise in numbers, which we will see going forward, you have to be careful to be comparing too precisely,’ she said. ‘We will look back in due course, sadly, and see the true number of people who have died from coronavirus.’
It followed appalling scenes as Britons across the UK flocked to beaches and parks up and down the country to take a stroll with their loved ones for Mother’s Day, despite social distancing advice from the government surrounding the coronavirus pandemic.
The surge in cases of the virus comes on the day Mr Johnson urged families to stay apart and instead celebrate Mother’s Day via Skype and other remote communications.
In a tough message to the public from Downing Street this afternoon, Mr Johnson said that even though he understood the physical and mental health benefits of open spaces, he would take drastic steps to protect health.
He suggested the UK could copy some of the more extreme lockdowns in other parts of Europe, such as Italy and France.
‘I don’t think you need to use your imagination much to see where we might have to go,’ he said.
‘We will think about this very, very actively in the next 24 hours.
‘We need to think about the kinds of measures that we have seen elsewhere, other countries that have been forced to bring in restrictions on people’s movements altogether.
‘I don’t want to do that because I have tried to explain the public health benefits.’
The remarks are a ramping up of pressure from Downing Street but are likely to result in increased demands for the action to take place immediately in line with other nations – with some saying it should have been done already.
‘Even if you think you are personally invulnerable, there are plenty of people you can infect,’ he said.
‘Take this advice seriously. Follow it. Because it is absolutely crucial.
‘We will keep the implementation of these measures under review… and of course we will bring forward further measures if it is necessary.’
Hammering home the point, he added: ‘If people cannot make use of parks and playgrounds responsibly, in a way that observes the two-metre rule, then of course we are going to have to look at further measures.’
But despite advice from politicians and medical and scientific experts in recent days there were worrying scenes across the nation.
In Dorset many strolled across the sands while others thought nothing of going for a dip in the sea this afternoon.
The Scottish government has today criticised tourists for ‘irresponsible behavior’ as many got in their caravans to try and ‘escape’ from the coronavirus.
In London, people were still out and about and some even made it down to the infamous Columbia Road Flower Market this afternoon, despite criticism from major Sadiq Khan who said Londoners needed to stay in to save lives.
Cumbria Police said despite Government advice to avoid non-essential travel, the Lake District and other tourist hotspots in the UK were experiencing an ‘influx’ of visitors.
(DAILY MAIL)
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