'Still in third wave': UK PM Johnson urges caution as virus figures fall for seven days

UK PM Boris Johnson urged citizens to remain cautious as daily coronavirus cases fell for the seventh day in a row.

The Johnson government had lifted coronavirus restrictions on July 19 as data showed the virus had fallen 50 per cent over the past week from 46,558 to 23,511 on Tuesday.

"Rates are still high and the pandemic is not over yet, today we have recorded the highest number of deaths since March," Johnson said, adding, "data today highlights we are still in the third wave."

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Johnson urged people to get vaccinated and to limit contacts to combat the virus as UK's death toll rose to 129,303 with 131 people dying in the last 28 days which was the highest since March.

Hospitalisations have increased steadily rising to 5,918 with COVID-19 cases rising earlier this month.

Experts had earlier warned COVID-19 cases would reach 100,000 a day in the days after major restrictions were lifted even as vaccination numbers in Britain continued to rise with at least 70 per cent of adults receiving both jabs. 

"We are six days into some better figures, but it is very, very important that we don’t allow ourselves to run away with premature conclusions," Johnson said.

Johnson ended ten days in self-isolation on Monday after being in close contact with health secretary Sajid Javid. Johnson applauded the vaccination figures while urging people to take the second jab to help protect everyone as the country continues to battle the virus.

The UK prime minister said 18 to 30 years olds have come forward to get jabbed although he added that self-isolation was the best tool to prevent the spread of the virus.

"We're coming forward with the new system from August 16, we'll come forward with the test to release approach then," the PM informed.

(With inputs from Agencies)