UK PM urges caution as virus cases fall for six days

LONDON: Prime Minister Boris Johnson called for caution Tuesday after Britain registered nearly a week of lower coronavirus case numbers, a decline that has surprised officials and experts.

Recorded infection rates across the UK have dropped for six consecutive days, with 24,950 new cases announced Monday compared to 46,558 last Tuesday -- a fall of 46 percent.

The reversal after weeks of rising rates has coincided with the removal on July 19 of nearly all pandemic rules in England, including legal requirements for social distancing wearing a mask in public indoors.

It has confounded the government and scientists, who had previously warned cases would likely surge to 100,000 a day in the weeks ahead after the restrictions were eased.

Despite the turnaround, which comes after the start of summer school holidays, ministers are warning the long-term situation remains uncertain.

"I have noticed that obviously we have six days of some better figures but it's very, very important that we don't allow ourselves to run away with premature conclusions about this," Johnson said during a visit to a police station in southeast England.

"People have got to remain very cautious and that remains the approach of the government," he added.

UK reports another 6-month high in daily COVID cases

Johnson ended 10 days in self-isolation late Monday after being in close contact with Health Secretary Sajid Javid, who tested positive for Covid-19 earlier this month.

The prime minister argued that Britain's successful vaccination campaign -- which has fully vaccinated 70 percent of adults -- allowed for the relaxation of legal curbs last week.

But the move attracted widespread criticism, with fears the National Health Service could again come under severe strain from rising caseloads, even if many fewer people are now dying of Covid.

Experts have struggled to explain why infections appear to have declined so dramatically since early last week.

The end of the Euro 2020 football tournament -- which was blamed for a spike in cases among younger men gathering to watch games -- as well as the school holidays and a heatwave have all been mooted as factors.

"The recent fall in cases in England is great news, but also puzzling given that progressive relaxation of restrictions has occurred," said Stephen Griffin of Leeds University's School of Medicine.

But, echoing Johnson's call for caution, he added: "I would be surprised if we are likely to see a continuation of this decline."