Cannabis Health Insider

Recent reports have suggested that the UK has suffered from more coronavirus deaths, than any other country in Europe. The UK reached a milestone that only increases further scrutiny regarding the response to the pandemic by the Prime Minister, Boris Johnson’s government.

According to a statement by Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, on Tuesday, there have been 29,427 COVID-19 deaths recorded, ever since the outbreak has begun, causing UK to take the lead from Italy, becoming the second country in the world with the highest number of COVID-19 deaths, leaving the US as the first. The official figure has included 693 new COVID-19 deaths in the 24 hours, up to 5 p.m. (12 p.m. ET) Monday.

Italy’s revised COVID-19 count was up to 29,315 on Tuesday. The official death toll in the US is currently reported to be over 70,000, according to the figures and data collected by John Hopkins University.

There is an understandable flaw in international comparisons because of the different ways that countries count death, with a variance in the levels of accuracy.

According to a statement by Raab at the daily UK government press briefing, a real verdict on the status of the countries will not be completely available until the pandemic is over.

However, Italy and Spain, the two countries in Europe that were considered the continent’s two hardest-hit countries, are also further along in their outbreaks significantly than the UK and are lifting selected lockdown restrictions tentatively.

The development comes merely days before Sunday when Johnson is due to address the country.

Furthermore, an announcement that was made by Prime Minister Borris Johnson regarding the next steps of the nation is expected with the widespread reports in the media about how the UK will now start to ease down its lockdown restrictions.

According to a statement by Raab on Tuesday, the fact that the second phase will be different is clear and understandable, and we need to focus on adjusting to a new normal. Raab added that while the next phase must be more comfortable, and hence more sustainable, it is necessary to not be under any illusions and recognize that it will not be easy.

However, even the most recent government figures have told an incomplete story where more data was released earlier on Tuesday and had indicated the actual number of COVID-19 deaths by late April, which was larger than the number that was reported daily by ministers.

29,998 COVID-19 deaths were reported, with COVID-19 mentioned in their death certificates, by England’s Office of National Statistics (ONS), by the end of April 24 (and April 26 in Scotland). This included COVID-19 deaths in all settings, with the inclusion of care homes.

However, this figure exceeds the figure of 20,732 that was announced by the government at the same time. Governments did not include COVID-19 deaths outside of hospitals, in their reported death toll.

Last week, data on deaths outside hospitals was also starting to be included by the UK government, in cases where patients were tested positive for COVID-19. The reported UK figures, previously, were only for hospital deaths.

Due to a lack of testing and for the failure to provide adequate amounts of protective equipment (PPE) to frontline workers, Johnson’s government has been criticized.

However, it did claim to reach its target regarding the 100,000 tests that were to be conducted a day, by the end of April. However, it was only for two days, and that included the help of thousands of tests that were although mailed out to households, but not completed. After two days, the number of tests that were carried out daily dropped to 84,000 on Monday and 85,0000 the day before.