Virus crisis is ‘nightmare’, says PM as city lockdown toughened
■ Hancock meets Leicester leaders over local outbreak ■ City’s mayor says he is ‘angry and frustrated’
THE CORONAVIRUS pandemic has been an “absolute nightmare” and a “disaster” for the country, Boris Johnson has admitted, as the Government announced last night that stricter lockdown measures were being imposed on Leicester.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock talked to political figures from the city yesterday to discuss the city’s coronavirus flare-up, after 866 new cases were discovered in Leicester in the last two weeks.
And at 9.15pm, it was confirmed shops and schools would be closed in the country’s first regional lockdown. Mr Johnson has promised a “whack-a-mole” strategy to tackling local flare-ups of the virus.
But the outbreak has revealed issues with the strategy the Government has touted for fighting the virus in smaller areas, as Leicester’s mayor Sir Peter Soulsby earlier heavily criticised the Government over its handling of the situation in the city, saying he needs to “be convinced” that an extension to lockdown is
Frankly it’s obviously been cobbled together very hastily. Leicester’s mayor Sir Peter Soulsby on a document sent to him by the Government.
necessary. Sir Peter said he was “angry and frustrated” and said a document sent to him by the Government at about 1am yesterday had “very little substance” and only suggested that restrictions due to be lifted for the rest of the country on Saturday should remain in place for Leicester for an extra two weeks.
He said there was “incredible frustration” in getting figures out of the Government “after weeks of asking”, adding that some officials had visited Leicester, “talked to a few people” and had then “cobbled together” a report.
He also told BBC Radio 4 of his anger, saying: “What they’re suggesting is not a return to lockdown, it seems that what they’re suggesting is that we continue the present level of restriction for a further two weeks beyond July 4.
“I’ve looked at this report and frankly it’s obviously been cobbled together very hastily.
“It’s superficial and its description of Leicester is inaccurate and certainly it does not provide action we need if we are to remain restricted for two weeks longer than the rest of the country.”
Leicester’s public health director, Ivan Browne, was also critical about the level of information given to the city to tackle the outbreak.
He told the Today programme: “I don’t think at the moment we’re seeing a single cause or a single smoking gun on this, so we need really try to dig down and find out what is going on and it’s likely to be a combination of factors. Information has been challenging all the way through this.”
It comes as 25 new deaths were recorded yesterday of people who tested positive for coronavirus, bringing the UK total to 43,575.
Some 2,826 people have now died in Yorkshire, with four new deaths recorded yesterday.
The PM said the pandemic had been “a disaster”. He added: “Let’s not mince our words, this has been an absolute nightmare for the country.
“The country has gone through a profound shock.”