Boris Johnson: ‘We are past the peak of this disease – we are past the peak and we are on the downward trend’

BORIS Johnson said last night (Thursday) the country is “past the peak” of coronavirus – but announced that the outbreak had claimed another 674 lives.

The Prime Minister, in his first Downing Street briefing since he was hospitalised with the virus, promised to unveil plans next week for how the lockdown will be lifted, including getting children “back to school”.

But he admitted that the government had faced “problems” getting personal protective equipment (PPE) to hospitals and care homes.

A total of 26,711 people have now died in the UK so far after contracting coronavirus.

Mr Johnson also announced that 81,611 tests had been conducted in the previous 24 hours – still short of the 100,000 that health minister Matt Hancock said was possible by the end of April.

“We are past the peak of this disease, we are past the peak and we are on the downward trend,” Mr Johnson said.

“I am not going to minimise the logistical problems we have faced in getting the right protective gear to the right people at the right time, both in the NHS and in care homes.

“Or in the frustrations we have experienced in expanding the testing.”