Prime Minister Boris Johnson: "Good morning."
U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has returned to Downing Street after recovering from COVID-19. On Monday, Johnson appeared outside No. 10 to say the U.K. is "beginning to turn the tide" and that he understood the economic damage caused by the virus. But he stopped short of declaring the end of lockdown measures, which are set to be reviewed on May 7.
Johnson: "I entirely share your urgency, it's the government's urgency. And yet we must also recognize the risk of a second spike, the risk of losing control of that virus and letting the reproduction rate go back over one, because that would mean not only a new wave of death and disease but also an economic disaster."
The U.K. has been under lockdown since March 23, and more than 21,000 people there have died from COVID-19. In addition, the economic fallout has reportedly put Britain on track to see its worst recession in centuries.
Johnson was hospitalized earlier this month after testing positive for the disease. But opposition parties have criticized how his administration has handled the outbreak.
The government is reportedly still far short of its target of conducting 100,000 coronavirus tests per day. Although the Health Ministry said it was increasing the numbers tested, the BBC reports just over 37,000 tests were done Sunday.
Contains footage from CNN.
