Stricter measures in London and southeast England

The government attributes the increase in cases to the identification of a “new strain” of the coronavirus, “not more dangerous, but more contagious”

The borough of London and the south-east of England are entering a level 4 lockdown again on Sunday, said the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Boris Johnson.

The new measures are aimed at halting the launch of COVID-19 cases, which the British government attributes to the detection of a “new strain” of coronavirus, “not more dangerous, but more contagious,” he said.

Residents should stay in their homes, with limited exceptions. Shops, gyms, leisure areas and personal care centers will be closed.

People should work from home whenever possible, and Level 4 areas are prohibited from entering and leaving the area. Also, residents of these areas should not spend the night outside their homes.

“We must act now,” the prime minister told a news conference on Downing Street after a teleconference with his ministers.

He clarified that, according to the information he has received, the epidemic is spreading faster.

The United Kingdom has recorded 27,052 new cases and 534 new deaths in the last 24 hours, according to official figures.
Merkel: See yours through video calling

Earlier, German Chancellor Angela Merkel urged her countrymen to avoid visiting relatives this Christmas and to prefer video calls due to the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic.

Germany has recorded more than 31,000 new cases and 702 deaths in the last 24 hours, according to the Robert Koch Institute.

According to Reuters, AFP