UK Health Minister calls top adviser's lockdown breach 'extraordinary'

UK Health Minister Matt Hancock said that he was left “speechless” over “extraordinary” breach of coronavirus lockdown rules by top epidemiologist Neil Ferguson. Ferguson, who influenced the governments around the world with his COVID-19 modelling, stepped down from top adviser role after reports of him allowing a woman to visit his home emerged.

Speaking to Sky News, Hancock said that Ferguson is an eminent and impressive scientist whom the government has listened for various measures. Calling the social distancing measures “deadly” important and “incredibly” serious, the Health Secretary added that he thinks Ferguson took the right decision to resign.

Ferguson is one of the many people behind the rigorous stay-at-home orders in the country and he was also a significant member of Britain's Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) which is coordinating UK’s response to COVID-19 outbreak. In a statement to CNN, the top epidemiologist confessed making ‘an error in judgement’ that made him take wrong actions. Ferguson reportedly explained that his decisions were based on the assumption that he is immune from the virus after testing positive for COVID-19. However, he expressed deep regret for undermining the protocols for British citizens to maintain social distancing. 

Read: COVID-19: UK Health Minister Asserts Govt Didn't Sacrifice Care Homes For Hospitals

UK overtakes Italy

Meanwhile, Britain has overtaken Italy to record a sombre landmark of highest death toll related to COVID-19 in Europe, according to the latest report. UK’s Office for National Statistics (ONS) released weekly data on deaths occurring up to April 24 and registered up to May 2, adding around 7,000 more fatalities to the number reported by Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), taking the total to 32,313 as of late April.

Read: UK Scientist Who Warned Over Virus Quits For Lockdown Breach

A total of 27,356 deaths involving COVID-19 were registered in England and Wales between December 28, 2019, and April 24, 2020. However, there was a change in how DHSC would report COVID-19 fatalities, directing to include all deaths where a positive test for COVID-19 has been confirmed irrespective of the place instead of reporting only the confirmed COVID-19 deaths in hospitals.

Read: UK Top Medical Expert Resigns After Violating Lockdown Rules: Reports

Read: UK Registers Highest COVID-19 Death Toll In Europe Overtaking Italy: Report