Britain’s COVID-19 death toll neared 10,000 on Saturday after health officials reported another 917 hospital deaths, while Prime Minister Boris Johnson continued to make “very good progress” in his recovery from the virus.

Britain has now reported 9,875 deaths from the coronavirus pandemic, the fifth highest national number globally, and Saturday’s increase was the second day running that the number to die had increased by more than 900.

Almost 80,000 people in Britain have tested positive for the virus, among them Johnson, who is in the early stages of recovery on a hospital ward after spending three nights in intensive care.

“The prime minister continues to make very good progress,” a Downing Street spokesman said.

Britain imposed a lockdown three weeks ago in a bid to curb the spread of the virus and ministers have been pleading with Britons to observe the ban on social gatherings over the Easter weekend when much of the country has been bathed in sunny, Spring weather.

Source: Reuters