Coronavirus: UK runs against the clock

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As the spread of coronavirus accelerates in the United Kingdom, the government is engaged in a race against time to increase the number of hospital beds and protective equipment for medical personnel.

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" We can defeat this virus but there is no time for complacency . The warning was issued by Professor Stephen Powis, medical director of NHS England, the public health care system, as the United Kingdom has just crossed the symbolic threshold of 1,000 coronavirus deaths. The country totals 1,019 deaths, including 260 for this single day on Saturday. This is the largest daily increase since the start of the epidemic. The United Kingdom also has 17,089 officially registered infected persons, out of nearly 121,000 tests carried out.

Faced with the rapidly worsening epidemic, the authorities are engaged in a race against the clock to open thousands of hospital beds, especially in the capital London, where the disease is spreading more quickly. " We have not yet used all of our capacity, " said Stephen Powis, but new beds are opening, particularly in London, because " the number of patients is increasing every day ."

While a peak of the epidemic is expected in two or three weeks, Professor Powis' warning is clear: it is now absolutely essential that everyone respects the rules of social distancing and confinement.

Among the sick are Prince Charles, heir to the crown of England, as well as Prime Minister Boris Johnson and several members of his government who isolated themselves for seven days while continuing to rule the country. But Boris Johnson is criticized for being casual at the start of the health crisis, and even adopting a brave attitude by continuing to shake hands with his interlocutors, recalls our correspondent in London, Muriel Delcroix .

The government is also accused of having delayed providing sufficient tests for healthcare workers who also complain of a glaring lack of protective equipment against the virus. The Guardian newspaper revealed that the Ministry of Health had refused in 2017 to store protective equipment in the event of a pandemic, at the time judging this recommendation from the medical profession too expensive.

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• Coronavirus
• United Kingdom