Warning UK’s next COVID peak ‘could be as serious as the last’ as cases hit three-month high
Rising COVID-19 cases heading into winter “suggest this peak could be as serious as the last”, the UK’s former chief scientific adviser has warned.
Sir David King was speaking to Sky News a day after 49,156 cases were reported – the highest since mid-July.
Cases have been regularly over 40,000 in the last week – with the high numbers mainly being attributed to infections among schoolchildren.
“The disease is rising to another peak, and this peak could be as serious as the last,” Sir David told Sky’s Kay Burley.
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It comes as a former World Health Organization director claimed the UK had the highest COVID-19 case rates in the world and a death rate far higher than China.
Professor Anthony Costello accused the government and advisers of being “silent” on the issue.
Downing Street said on Monday that the winter months look “challenging” and that it was keeping a “close watch” on cases.
However, it said new infections were roughly in line with predictions and that the vaccine programme had “substantially” broken the link between cases, hospitalisations, and deaths.
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The latest seven-day average for deaths is 124.1, while the latest count for people in hospital for COVID is 7,097.
Both are much lower than the winter peak in January, and cases remain below the initial prediction of 100,000 per day made by the health secretary ahead of England’s so-called Freedom Day.
But there are fears these numbers could rise significantly in the coming months.
Booster jabs are being administered, but Sir David said the rollout was too slow
Sir David also criticised the booster jab rollout as going “extremely slowly”.
“I do know many older people who haven’t had their booster – I can’t understand this. If the vaccines are available, what’s happening to the rollout?” he said.
A third COVID-19 jab is to be offered to groups including over-50s, vulnerable groups, and people who work in care homes and frontline health care.
The NHS will contact those who are eligible, so long as it’s been at least six months since their second jab.
The UK’s former science chief also expressed frustration at lower levels of mask wearing now most COVID rules have been scrapped.
“How many people are still wearing masks? And for goodness’ sake, why not?” said Sir David.
“I just don’t understand why when I get into a train or an Underground, I don’t see everybody wearing masks. Why aren’t we still requiring people to travel with masks, to go into buildings with masks?
“It just seems a very simple thing.”
He also cautioned over the thousands of people coming to the UK for the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow, calling it a “massive potential rollout of the disease”.
“It’s a viral factory to put all those people together from 197 nations of the world,” he said.
“I really worry about it – not because they will bring disease into use, but because we are the country with a very high level of virus, and we will be passing on to them.”
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Health secretary: The COVID ‘plan B’ for winter
The government last month set out a Plan A and B for dealing with COVID over winter, as it hopes to avoid more lockdowns.
Plan A includes expanding the vaccine rollout, such as to school-age children, plus more cash for the NHS COVID response, and a focus on antiviral drugs.
It also stresses that NHS Test and Trace and self-isolation will continue to be “critical” in keeping the disease under control.
Plan B would kick in should the NHS be threatened by “unsustainable pressure”. England’s chief medical officer, Professor Chris Whitty, has already warned the health service faces an “exceptionally difficult” winter.
Measures could include the possibility of vaccine passports in some settings in England – such as nightclubs and large sports events, while mask rules and working from home may also return.
UK
Hainault sword attack: Child dies and four taken to hospital after sword attack in northeast London
A 14-year-old boy has died and four people are in hospital after a stabbing attack in northeast London.
Police were called to reports around 7am that a 36-year-old man was wielding a sword and attacking members of the public.
Officers were also caught up in the rampage in Hainault, northeast London, near the Tube station.
Police also said the man crashed a vehicle into a house in nearby Thurlow Gardens, before reportedly stabbing a number of people and being arrested.
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London Ambulance Service said they treated five people at the scene and took them to hospital – including the 14-year-old boy.
In an update this afternoon, Chief Superintendent Stuart Bell, who leads local policing, confirmed the teenage boy had died.
He said: “He was taken to hospital after being stabbed and sadly died a short while after.
“The child’s family are being supported firstly by my local officers and now with some specialist officers and everyone across the Met is keeping them in our thoughts at this unimaginably difficult time.”
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Chief superintendent Stuart Bell giving his update
Police responded to reports of a vehicle driven into a house this morning
He also confirmed two other members of the public were in hospital with injuries believed to be not life-threatening.
Along with them, two officers received “significant” but not life-threatening injuries and will undergo surgery, the police chief said.
Officers arrested the man 22 minutes after the first call went into emergency services.
Eyewitnesses described hearing shrieking and seeing someone receive CPR at the scene.
Video showed a man wielding a large sword outside a number of residential properties.
Police added they did not think it was a targeted attack, or terror-related, and they were working to establish the circumstances of what took place.
As the press conference ended this afternoon Ch Supt Stuart Bell refused to respond to questions over whether the suspect had been previously arrested.
Eyewitnesses heard ‘screams and shrieking’ after Hainault sword attack
Chris Bates told Sky News he saw police apprehend a suspect wielding a “big samurai sword”.
He said that, after confronting the suspect, police screamed at them to drop the sword, before they Tasered him, and “piled on top of him”, arresting him.
Another local resident said she saw a body on the ground as she hid by her window, while a sword-wielding man shouted “do you believe in God?” outside her home.
Pic: PA
Pic:@ell_pht
The witness, who didn’t want to be named, said: “He was wielding his sword trying to attack the police but then they sprayed him and he ran away.
“He was shouting at the police ‘do you believe in God?’, also at the ambulance.
“We were very scared and trying to hide and not show ourselves through the window, because he was standing right next to our house and he could have seen us if he looked up.
“We were trying to hide but also at the same time taking video of him attacking the police, and of the body on the floor, so, yeah, we were very scared and we didn’t know what to do.”
Emergency services on the scene of the incident in Hainault. Pic: Shutterstock
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The King has asked to be kept informed of the incident and has sent his thoughts to those affected.
A Buckingham Palace spokesman said: “Following the horrific scenes in Hainault this morning, the King has asked to be kept fully informed as details of the incident become clearer.
“His thoughts and prayers are with all those affected – in particular, the family of the young victim who has lost his life – and he salutes the courage of the emergency services who helped contain the situation.”
Politicians were quick to offer their condolences after news emerged of the attack.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said: “This is a shocking incident. My thoughts are with those affected and their families.
“I’d like to thank the emergency services for their ongoing response, and pay tribute to the extraordinary bravery shown by police on the scene. Such violence has no place on our streets.”
Local MP, and Labour shadow minister, Wes Streeting said the whole community was “devastated” by news of the attack but “deserved answers”.
Forensic investigators in Laing Close in Hainault, following the attack. Pic: PA
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan praised the “everyday bravery” of the police officers who ran towards the sword-wielding man.
He added: “This attack is devastating and appalling. I’m sure I speak on behalf of the entire city when I say my thoughts and prayers are with this young child and his family.”
UK
King Charles talks about his health as he holds hands with cancer patients on return to public duties
The King has said he is feeling “much better” as he returned to public duties for the first time since his cancer diagnosis.
On his visit with the Queen to a Macmillan Cancer Centre in London, the King held hands with cancer patients.
He was also announced as patron of Cancer Research UK, and takes over the role from his mother, the late Queen Elizabeth.
The King, who is also patron of Macmillan Cancer Support, replied “much better, thanks” when Sky News asked how he was feeling.
It was his first public outing since doctors told him to avoid public-facing duties while having cancer treatment.
Pic: PA
On Friday, the Palace said he was “greatly encouraged” to be given the green light to return to some public-facing duties.
However, sources stressed the King still has cancer and will continue to be treated for an undisclosed form of the disease.
It is hoped his visit will draw attention to the importance of early diagnosis, as well as innovative treatments and research at the hospital supported by Cancer Research UK.
The King holds hands with a cancer patient Pic: Reuters
Pic: Reuters
The King also met the team behind a project called TRACERx, the single biggest investment in lung cancer research by Cancer Research UK.
It aims to investigate how lung cancer evolves and why treatments sometimes stop working.
The royals also gave presents to children on their way out – and received some flowers in return.
Pic: PA
The King and Queen gave presents to children – and got some flowers in return
The King announced he had cancer at the beginning of February.
Since then, charities have praised his openness and the impact it has had on raising awareness, along with the Princess of Wales talking about her own diagnosis.
Ahead of the visit today, a Palace spokesperson said: “His Majesty’s treatment programme will continue, but doctors are sufficiently pleased with the progress made so far that the King is now able to resume a number of public-facing duties.”
They added: “Forthcoming engagements will be adapted where necessary to minimise any risks to His Majesty’s continued recovery.”
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The King has continued constitutional work behind the scenes and has held small meetings inside the palace, including with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
At Easter, he made a point of greeting crowds at St George’s Chapel in Windsor – seen as a hint that more public-facing engagements could soon follow.
Palace officials continue to plan for a busy summer and autumn but will work around the caveat that plans might need to change depending on the King’s health and doctors’ advice.
Read more from Sky News:
Prince Harry returning to UK for visit
William reveals Charlotte’s favourite ‘dad joke’
The summer months are always a busy period for the Royal Family with events such as Trooping the Colour, Garter Day, and Royal Ascot.
There is also the prospect of overseas travel towards the end of the year, as Samoa is hosting the biennial meeting of Commonwealth leaders.
UK
Grace O’Malley-Kumar: PM backs calls for 19-year-old stabbed to death in Nottingham to be awarded George Cross
Rishi Sunak has backed calls for a student who was stabbed to death while trying to save to her friend to be awarded a posthumous George Cross.
Grace O’Malley-Kumar, 19, fought Valdo Calocane when he attacked fellow student Barnaby Webber as they returned from a night out celebrating the end of exams last June.
During Calocane’s trial, prosecutor Karim Khalil KC said Ms O’Malley-Kumar had shown “incredible bravery” by trying to protect Mr Webber from Calocane’s blows and tried to fight him off, pushing him away and into the road.
The killer then turned his attention to her and was “as uncompromisingly brutal in his assault of Grace as he was in his assault of Barnaby”, Mr Khalil said.
Calocane admitted killing Grace, Barnaby and school caretaker Ian Coates on the basis of diminished responsibility, a plea which the Crown Prosecution Service has accepted.
(L-R) Ian Coates, Barnaby Webber, Grace O’Malley-Kumar
Ms O’Malley-Kumar’s parents today called for her to be awarded the George Cross, an award recognising “the greatest heroism or of the most conspicuous courage in circumstances of extreme danger”.
And Downing Street has now weighed in – saying the prime minister “would certainly” back the family’s campaign and “pay tribute to the bravery that Grace demonstrated whilst faced with perilous and terrifying circumstances”.
Rishi Sunak. Pic: PA
Mr Sunak’s spokesman noted that “decisions around the George Cross are made by an independent committee to review, and final decisions are then made by His Majesty the King”.
“But of course, the prime minister would support those nominations,” he added. “The leadership example [Grace] provided in that tragic circumstance was commendable and absolutely the PM would get behind that campaign.”
Ms O’Malley-Kumar was a first-year medical student who played for the England under-18s hockey team.
Grace O’Malley-Kumar with her family. Pic: Nottinghamshire Police
Her mum Sinead O’Malley said in an interview with The Sun: “The George Cross would be a remarkable acknowledgement of her bravery, for sure.
“Grace is never coming back to us, but we never want her to be forgotten, and this would certainly make sure she is remembered forever.”
Her father Dr Sanjoy Kumar said the award “would be an example to every other young person”, as her brother James hailed her a “hero”.
Tory MP Marco Longhi, who sits on the Home Affairs select committee, said Ms O’Malley-Kumar deserved the medal as she “showed selfless bravery”.
Grace O’Malley-Kumar’s parents outside Nottingham Crown Court. Pic: PA
David Morris, another Conservative MP, also called for her to be given the “ultimate honour”.
Her brother James, 17, had said in a previous interview with Sky News: “Grace’s last moments were in pain and that’s something that really hurts me to think about and she was a hero, that was her character.”
Read more:
Families traumatised by police messages about killings
Timeline of missed opportunities to stop Calocane
Her brother James said ‘she would never leave a friend’. Pic: PA
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He added: “She tried her best to save her friend. That was how Grace lost her life in the most vulnerable manner.
“She would never leave a friend, never, and that was very evident from her last moments. She passed fighting.”
James described his sister’s death as a “loss to the country” as he pointed to her riding a Vespa to a clinic to vaccinate hundreds of people during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as her aspirations of serving as a medic in the armed forces.
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