Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Saturday, Jun 21, 2025

UK to extend Covid-19 lockdown as US looks to ease restrictions

UK to extend Covid-19 lockdown as US looks to ease restrictions

The British government is set to extend the Covid-19 preventative lockdown for another three weeks, as the death toll on Thursday jumped by 861 to 13,729. Meanwhile, the United States is planning to announce measures to ease the lockdown despite the biggest jump in infections in five days and consecutive days of record fatalities.

UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock warned that the numbers continue to rise. “Whilst we’ve had a flattening of the number of cases, that hasn’t started to come down yet. And as far as I’m concerned that is still far too high,” Hancock said Thursday.

Acting head of government, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, is expected to extend the lockdown for another 21 days. Prime Minister Boris Johnson continues to recuperate after contracting Covid-19 and spending a week in hospital. Raab will meet with senior ministers before making the announcement.

Britain is one of the worst-affected countries globally to date.

Workers in the National Health Service have criticised the London government for the scarcity of personal protective equipment such as visors, gloves, masks and gowns.

A number of doctors and nurses taking care of coronavirus patients directly have died after themselves becoming infected.


Testing times for UK
Ministers have also been asked to extend testing for Covid-19, a measure that has worked to slow the spread of the virus in countries such as South Korea and Germany.

Meanwhile, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has named Britain as one of the countries giving “positive signals” that the peak of the pandemic may be passing in Europe.

On Thursday, WHO Europe Regional Director Hans Kluge warned that the virus “still hangs heavily over the European region,” but said that the UK was one of a few countries that could be seeing the peak number of infections

“The next few weeks will be critical for Europe. Make no mistake, despite the spring weather, we are in the middle of a storm,” says Kluge.


US eases restrictions as infections rise
The United States is set to announce measures to ease the lockdown despite the biggest increase in new Covid-19 cases in the past five days, with fatalities surpassing 30,000 – doubling in the past week, according to John Hopkins University tracker.

President Donald Trump told reporters that the US’s “aggressive strategy” has seen the country past the peak, adding that less-affected states could ease restrictions before 1 May.

Trump has blamed the World Health Organization for “severely mismanaging and covering up the spread of the coronavirus” and says he plans to stop funding the international body.

The editor-in-chief of the prestigious Lancet medical journal has criticised the US leader’s decision to axe WHO funding.

This move “is a crime against humanity," Richard Horton of the Lancet has said. "Every scientist, every health worker, every citizen must resist and rebel against this appalling betrayal of global solidarity.”
Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
G7 Leaders Fail to Reach Consensus on Key Global Issues
Mass exodus in Tehran as millions try to flee following Trump’s evacuation order
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
Energy Infrastructure Becomes War Zone in Middle East
Iran Conducts Ballistic Missile Launches Amid Heightened Tensions with Israel
Iran Signals Openness to Nuclear Negotiations Amid Ongoing Regional Tensions
Shock Within Iran’s Leadership: Khamenei’s Failed Plan to Launch 1,000 Missiles Against Israel
Trump's Anti-War Stance Tested Amid Israel-Iran Conflict
UK Deploys Jets to Middle East Amid Rising Tensions
Exiled Iranian Prince Reza Pahlavi Urges Overthrow of Khamenei Regime
Wreck of $17 Billion San José Galleon Identified Off Colombia After 300 Years
Iran Launches Extensive Missile Attack on Israel Following Israeli Strikes on Nuclear Sites
Israel Issues Ultimatum to Iran Over Potential Retaliation and Nuclear Facilities
Black Box Recovered from Air India Crash Site
Coinbase CEO Warns Bitcoin Could Supplant US Dollar Amid Mounting National Debt
Trump to Iran: Make a Deal — Sign or Die
Operation "Like a Lion": Israel Strikes Iran in Unprecedented Offensive
Israel Launches 'Operation Rising Lion' Targeting Iranian Nuclear and Military Sites
Israeli Forces Intercept Gaza-Bound Aid Vessel Carrying Greta Thunberg
IMF Warns of Severe Global Trade War Impacts on Emerging Markets
Syria to Reconnect to Global Economy After 14 Years of Isolation
Israel Confirms Arming Gaza Clan to Counter Hamas Influence
Global News Roundup: From Ukraine's strategic military strikes and Russia's demands and Tensions Escalate in Ukraine, to serious legal issues faced by Britons in Bali and Trump's media criticism, the latest developments highlight a turbulent landscape
U.S. Reduces Military Presence in Syria
Trump Demands Iran End All Uranium Enrichment in Nuclear Talks
Iran Warns Europe Against Politicizing UN Nuclear Report
Paris Saint-Germain's Greatest Triumph Is Football’s Lowest Point
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
European and Arab Ministers Convene in Madrid to Address Gaza Conflict
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
×