Boris Johnson under pressure to speed up coronavirus testing

LONDON: The UK government is facing renewed calls to speed up testing of patients and health care workers for the coronavirus, as the outbreak spreads. Ministers and officials were challenged on Monday to explain why they said 10,000 tests were being carried out every day but only 7,000 people had received them. The concerns over testing rates came after a week of lockdown measures, which officials suggested were starting to make a difference to slowing the spread of the virus. According to official figures released on Monday, more than 22,141 people in the UK had tested positive for the coronavirus, with 1,408 having died.

A week ago a national shut-down was ordered by PM Boris Johnson — who himself has contracted the illness and is in isolation. On Monday, the government's chief scientific adviser Patrick Vallance said the restrictions were having an impact on reducing transport as well as cutting contact between members of the public in stores, bars and restaurants. Vallance presented charts indicating a rapid drop in public transport and car use over the last two weeks.