‘Things Will Get Worse Before They Get Better'

Death toll passes 1,000 but Prime Minister says: British spirit will beat coronavirus

- David Maddox

Boris Johnson has warned the British people that “things will get worse before they get better” as the number of deaths from coronavirus rose above 1,000 yesterday.

The Prime Minister’s bleak message will be delivered in a letter scheduled to be sent to every household this week as he battles the virus but continues to lead from the front in the national effort. In his letter, the Prime Minister emphasised that the country is facing “a national emergency” and pleaded with people to “please, to stay at home, protect the NHS and save lives”.

The official number of deaths in the UK from the disease went into four figures yesterday with 260 more fatalities taking the total to 1,019 from 17,089 known cases.

In a sign of the enormity of the challenge ahead, Professor Stephen Powis, the NHS England medical director, said that if deaths were kept below 20,000 “we will have done well”.

And Prof Powis added that keeping the figure below 20,000 “would not be luck” but could only be achieved by people following the social distancing rules.

He said: “We can beat this virus, we can reduce the number of deaths but only if we do what we are asked.”

Even with the rising death tally, a new Opinium poll has shown that the country is behind Mr Johnson’s leadership based on scientific advice through the crisis with 55 per cent approval rating for the Prime Minister while the Conservatives now have 54 per cent. Chancellor Rishi Sunak, who has introduced unprecedented levels of economic support for businesses and wages, has the biggest net trust rate of +43 per cent while Health Secretary Matt Hancock also has a high approval rating.