British PM thanks 20,000 retired NHS staff for returning to work amid COVID-19 crisis

With coronavirus outbreak shifting its base from China to Europe, more than 20,000 retired National Health Service (NHS) workers in the United Kingdom have agreed to return to help fight the global pandemic. Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who after being tested positive for the disease put himself under self-isolation, took to his official Twitter handle to thank the retired health workers for deciding to return to help the country fight the outbreak. 

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In a video message posted on Twitter, Johnson expressed gratitude to the 20,000 NHS staff for coming back, which includes doctors and nurses and he also thanked the 7,50,000 members of the public group who have agreed to volunteer to help the country get through the crisis. In the 2.2-minute long video message, Johnson thanked the pharmacists for not only dispensing vital medicines but also reassuring the customers they interact with. Johnson further informed that the railway usage in the country is down by 95 per cent, while the bus usage is down by 75 per cent. 

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Coronavirus outbreak

The United Kingdom has so far recorded more than 1,228 deaths from the 19,522 confirmed coronavirus cases in the country. There are currently 18,159 active cases in the country, of which 163 patients remain under critical condition. The United Kingdom has successfully treated more than 135 people since the disease first broke out in December 2019. 

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COVID-19 has claimed more than 33,900 lives across the world and has infected more than 7,23,000 people globally since it first broke out in December 2019. China was the most affected country until last week before Italy and Spain surpassed it to record the most number of deaths anywhere in the world due to COVID-19. The virus is believed to have originated from a seafood market in China's Wuhan city, the epicentre of the disease, where animals were reportedly being traded illegally.

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(Image Credit: AP)