Boris Johnson announces one-month lockdown for the UK

UK’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson ordered England back into a national lockdown after the United Kingdom passed the milestone of one million COVID-19 cases and a second wave of infections threatened to overwhelm the health service, Reuters reported Saturday.

The UK, which has the biggest official death toll in Europe from COVID-19, has reported more than 20,000 new coronavirus cases a day and scientists have warned the “worst case” scenario of 80,000 dead could be exceeded.

Johnson’s announcement came after news of a lockdown was leaked to local media. He said at a news conference that the one-month lockdown across England would kick in at a minute past midnight on Thursday morning and last until December 2.

Essential shops, schools, and universities will remain open, Johnson said adding that all non-essential retail will close.

Reuters reported that so far the United Kingdom has reported 46,555 COVID-19 deaths – defined as those dying within 28 days of a positive test. A broader death measure of those with COVID-19 on their death certificates gives the toll as 58,925.

The United Kingdom has the world’s fifth largest official death toll, after the United States, Brazil, India and Mexico, according to a Johns Hopkins University tally.