UK New Cases Up to 75% Delta Variant... Will Lockdown Ease Further?

Matt Hancock UK Secretary of Health
Photo by AP Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Cho Hyun-ui] Concerns are growing in the UK ahead of the planned lifting of COVID-19 lockdown measures on June 21, as cases of infections from the India-origin variant surge.

On the 27th (local time), Health Secretary Matt Hancock announced that up to 75% of new confirmed cases were infections from the India-origin variant. Hancock explained, "So far, there have been a total of 6,959 cases of the India-origin variant, doubling in just one week."

The number of new confirmed cases has also returned to an upward trend. The UK's new cases on this day reached 3,542, the highest since June 12, when some lockdown measures were eased, such as opening outdoor seating at restaurants.

The Telegraph reported, "According to the Public Health England (PHE) report, the infection rate is slightly increasing across all regions and age groups in England."

Thanks to proactively starting vaccinations, the UK has been gradually easing lockdowns since March and plans to fully lift restrictions on June 21.

The UK government is focusing on the effectiveness of vaccines. In fact, among hospitalized patients in the area most affected by the India-origin variant, only about one in ten had received the second dose of the vaccine.

However, vaccines are not perfect, and there are still people who have not been vaccinated, which remains a variable. Also, although there are early signs of improvement in Bolton, the area hardest hit by the India-origin variant, the spread to other regions means vigilance cannot be relaxed.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said, "At present, there seems to be no reason to change the lockdown easing roadmap, but the schedule may be delayed."

The UK government plans to conduct a formal evaluation regarding the easing of lockdown measures on June 14, one week prior.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.