Young adults blamed as UK sees sharp spike in virus cases

LONDON (AP) — The British government faced pressure to act fast Tuesday to keep a lid on daily new coronavirus infections after a sharp spike across the United Kingdom that has been largely blamed on party-going young adults disregarding social distancing.

Daily new coronavirus infections have risen sharply recently, dipping Tuesday to 2,420 after hitting nearly 3,000 the previous two days. The rise is prompting British government to consider tightening some restrictions, such as reducing the number of people gathering indoors in England from the current limit of 30.

Government ministers and scientists took to the airways to urge Britons not to let down their guard.

“We’ve been able to relax a bit over the summer ... but these latest figures really show us that much as people might like to say ‘Oh well, it’s gone away’ — this hasn’t gone away,” said Dr. Jonathan Van-Tam, the government’s deputy chief medical officer.

He said while the rise in infections is “much more marked” among people between 17 and 21, he was concerned about a “more general and creeping geographic trend” across the UK.

“People have relaxed too much,” he said.

“Now is the time for us to re-engage and realise that this is a continuing threat.”

The UK has Europe’s worst death toll from the virus, with nearly 41,600 deaths within 28 days of testing positive. The actual toll is believed to be far higher as the government tally does not include those who died without having been tested.

The spike in UK cases follows big daily case increases in Spain and France, both of whom have seen rising numbers of COVID-19 patients being hospitalised.

Spain saw an average of 8,800 new cases a day over the weekend, and France has been recording over 5,000 a day.

The worry is that the UK will also start seeing increases in virus patients being hospitalised and dying.

“While young people are less likely to die from this disease, be in no doubt that they are still at risk,” Health Secretary Matt Hancock told lawmakers, adding that six months after getting infected, some previously fit people are still laid low by chronic fatigue, muscle pain and breathing difficulties.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s Conservative government has faced strong criticism for its mixed messages since it started easing the coronavirus lockdown in late spring.

It spent much of the summer encouraging people to eat out to help the hard-pressed hospitality sector and is now urging workers to return to their offices to help hard-hit businesses in city centres.

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