The COVID-19 alert in the United Kingdom (UK) has been raised to the highest level (5) on Monday.
This means that the National Health Service (NHS), the government-funded healthcare system, is on the brink of collapse.
There is a risk that hospitals will be overwhelmed under level 5. Strong social distancing measures will now be implemented.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson will announce lock-down measures at 8 p.m.
According to a government statement, the spread of the new variant of COVID-19 has led to a rapid increase in case numbers across the country.
“The Prime Minister is clear that further steps must now be taken to arrest this rise and to protect the NHS and save lives. He will set those out this evening”, it read.
Since the pandemic outbreak in 2020, the UK has recorded more than 2.71 million cases and 75,400 deaths.
