UK lowers threat level as cases decrease

LONDON: Britain has lowered its coronavirus threat level by one notch, as public health officials say the outbreak is coming under control. The UK's Joint Biosecurity Center has recommended that the country move from the second-highest level, 4 - meaning transmission is high or rising exponentially - to level 3, where a Covid-19 epidemic is in general circulation.

The scale is modelled on Britain's five-rung scale for terrorist threats.

The UK's chief medical officers say there has been "a steady decrease in cases" across the country, but localised outbreaks are still likely. Health secretary Matt Hancock said the lowering of the alert level was "a big moment for the country, and a real testament to the British people's determination to beat this virus".