Do not add ‘fuel to the fire’ as virus spreads, warn health chiefs

PEOPLE are being warned not to add “fuel to the fire” as coronavirus cases rise across England and hospitals strain under the pressure of high numbers of Covid-19 patients.

Rates of infection are continuing to rise in all regions of the country, according to the latest weekly surveillance report from Public Health England.

It comes as the number of people testing positive for the virus in England also reached a new record high, with a total of 232,169 in the week to December 23 – the highest weekly total since Test and Trace was launched in May.

Intensive care doctor Professor Hugh Montgomery warned people who do not wear masks and continue to mix unnecessarily have “blood on their hands”. He said anyone who thinks it is acceptable to have “one more night out” is spreading the virus.

He told BBC Radio Five Live: “Anyone who’s listening to this who doesn’t wear their mask and behaves like this – they have blood on their hands, they are spreading this virus. Other people will spread it and people will die.

“They won’t know they’ve killed people but they have.”

Public Health England medical director Dr Yvonne Doyle urged people to keep to the social distancing and hygiene rules in a bid to stop the spread.

She said: “The Christmas week saw a worrying rise in cases across every region of the country, particularly among adults in their 20s and 30s. We must not now add further fuel to the fire, as meeting in close and large groups this New Year’s Eve risks further transmission.”

Prof Montgomery said the consequences of “bad behaviour” over Christmas will not be seen in intensive care units until next week, and the results of any similar actions by people on New Year’s Eve will be felt in hospitals about ten days later.