Virus 'accelerating' in UK as fears grow of Italy-like trajectory

Prime Minister Boris Johnson warned Sunday the coronavirus outbreak was "accelerating", as fears grew that the crisis in Britain was following the same path as the one devastating Italy.

Johnson said the health service could be "overwhelmed" as health department figures showed that 233 people died from COVID-19 in the UK, with the number of those testing positive for the virus standing at 5,018.

Britain's death toll now mirrors the figure that Rome declared just over two weeks ago, on March 7, before Italy became the world's most affected country.

On Sunday, Italy said that 4,825 people had died from the virus there, a third of the world's total.

The UK figure rose by at least 10 on Sunday, with announcements of further deaths in Scotland and Wales. An updated UK-wide figure was expected later.

"The numbers are very stark, and they are accelerating," Johnson said in a statement ahead of a planned press briefing later in the day.

"We are only a matter of weeks -- two or three -- behind Italy. The Italians have a superb health care system. And yet their doctors and nurses have been completely overwhelmed by the demand."
"If it is the case that people continue to act in a way that's leading to this disease spreading, then those sorts of things will have to be considered."