PHE warns Londoners Covid levels remain critical

LEVELS OF infection with Covid remain high across London, according to Public Health England. The organisation has warned today (Friday, 15th January) that the public must observe the letter and the spirit of lockdown to try to bring the virus under control – as the NHS is extremely stretched.

Professor Kevin Fenton, London Regional Director for Public Health England, explained their concerns, saying, “Case rates in London remain extremely high and around 10,000 Londoners were diagnosed with COVID every day this week. This level of transmission is severe, and continues to drive pressure on the NHS, with more Londoners being admitted to ICU and ultimately dying from this disease or having long-term complications.

“As a result, we have more difficult weeks ahead of us. This more contagious variant means we are unlikely to see sharp declines like we did in the first wave, and the longer cases remain high, the more deaths we will see.

“That is why we must work twice as hard to reduce transmission and lower infections. Staying at home and cutting our contacts will stop the virus spreading, reduce cases more quickly and ultimately save lives.”

Infection rates appear to be beginning to fall. The BBC reports that the “R” (infection) number was thought to be between 0.9 and 1.2 in the week up to 11th January, down from 1.1-1.4 the previous week. The PHE comment came as the world death toll from COVID-19 exceeded 2 million.

●Tower Hamlets Keep Our NHS Public (KONP) press spokesperson Carol Saunders gave a special report on the situation in Tower Hamlets on this week’s The Tuesday Show. Watch it here:
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●Read more stories about Tower Hamlets KONP:
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