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England Covid-19 Cases Rise as Economy Reopens After Lockdown

England Covid-19 Cases Rise as Economy Reopens After Lockdown

The number of coronavirus cases in England increased by more than a quarter in the week through Aug. 12, underscoring the risks facing Boris Johnson’s government as it tries to boost economic activity without triggering a new peak in the pandemic.

The U.K. Department of Health reported 6,616 new Covid-19 cases during the period, a 27% rise, even as the total number of people tested fell by 2%. Positive cases among those presenting clinical need, as well as hospital and care workers, rose by 34%, the biggest rise since the government began its test and trace program at the end of May.

Johnson’s ministers have been steadily reopening parts of the British economy, and are trying to shift the focus toward dealing with new outbreaks with targeted local lockdowns rather than national measures.

But there is little margin for error. The government has pledged to reopen all schools in England in September, a measure Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty has suggested may require restrictions to remain in place in other parts of the economy to ensure the virus doesn’t experience a resurgence.

Birmingham’s city council warned residents of the U.K.’s second-biggest city they face “more tragedy in the weeks and months” ahead unless people adhere to social-distancing rules and stem the recent rise in cases.

It’s a similar story north of the border, where Scotland reported its highest daily number of coronavirus cases for almost three months and First Minister Nicola Sturgeon told the Scottish Parliament that the so-called “R” number could now be above 1, suggesting the pandemic is growing again.

Across the U.K., the number of cases rose by 1,182 in the latest 24-hour period, compared with 812 a day earlier.

To help contain the spread of the virus, Johnson’s government said it would make travelers arriving in England from Austria, Croatia and Trinidad & Tobago self-isolate for 14 days, effective Saturday morning. But arrivals from Portugal will no longer have to quarantine after the country was added to the so-called travel corridor list.

Scotland’s government mirrored those changes, while also adding Switzerland to its quarantine list.

©2020 Bloomberg L.P.