Coronavirus cases across the U.K. have fallen by nearly 40% in a week, dipping below 30,000 for the first time in a fortnight. BBC News has more.
The UK recorded 29,173 new cases on Sunday – down from 48,161 logged a week earlier on 18 July.
The number of new infections by date reported has fallen for five days in a row for the first time since February.
It is also the first time since the start of the pandemic that a sustained drop in cases has not coincided with a national lockdown.
“The data at present is looking good for at least the summer,” said Prof Paul Hunter from the University of East Anglia.
“Today’s figures do not of course include any impact of last Monday’s end of restrictions. It will not be until about next Friday before the data includes the impact of this change.”
Worth reading in full.
Is it too early to start naming and shaming the doomsters and gloomsters who predicted ‘Freedom Day’ would lead to a surge in cases? Prof Hunter says today’s figures don’t include the impact of the unlocking, but why? After all, the average incubation period for COVID-19 is five days, which means that if ‘Freedom Day’ was going to cause a spike we would be beginning to see it by now, six days after July 19th.
Nevertheless, prudence dictates it’s a little early to start gloating.
Stop Press: Experts said last night said the U.K. may have passed the peak of the third wave. MailOnline has more.
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