UK records 16,171 Covid cases in 24 hours

London, October 17

Britain has recorded 16,171 new Covid cases within 24 hours, according to government data published on Saturday, compared with 15,650 the previous day.

The infection rate has risen sharply in recent weeks, prompting British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and other regional leaders to introduce tighter restrictions and local lockdowns.

Meanwhile, the Dutch royal couple returned to the Netherlands after their vacation trip to Greece had to be abandoned because of an uproar back home, where people are urged to stay at home as much as possible. King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima said, “Let there be no doubt. To beat Covid, it is necessary to follow the rules. The discussion caused by our vacation does not contribute to that.” The country recorded over 8,000 fresh infections in the past 24 hours. — Agencies